Blackout
by ShunKickShunKers
Summary: He did bring her breakfast in bed and didn't insist when she backed off. But he also made it clear she was just a good shot and treated her like a kid. AU again, teen fic. Enjoy :3 COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**I know, I'm already late with my other fics, but this one wouldn't leave my mind till I started it -_-. Hopefully you'll like it as much as I have fun writing it :3 **

**Thanks to my half-beta for checking this **

**Disclaimer: I only own my twisted imagination :P**

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><p><strong>Blackout <strong>

**1**

Her head hurt. She felt sick and dizzy, obvious signs of a hangover. When she tried to move, the mattress seemed to waver like a boat and she groaned, making a mental note NOT to follow her stupid friends again to crash a party at a nightclub with a fake ID anymore. Only bits and parts of the previous night were emerging in her mind –loud music, the smell of alcohol… why had she been drinking already? Ah yeah, she had spotted that stupid boyfriend soon-to-be-ex of hers making out with that stupid so-called best friend of hers; and had been stupid enough not to confront them about it. Instead, she turned to alcohol. Damn, she should have known better, she chided herself.

She rolled on her back and rested an arm over her face to hide her eyes from the light. Whatever had happened afterwards must have been tiring; her body was sore and arching, and she could barely keep her lids open. Thank God they didn't have school today; she could stay in bed a little long-

Wait.

This wasn't her bed.

It didn't smell the usual vanilla she used for the laundry but musk and fir tree. The mattress didn't even feel right. This weren't her usual sheets either. And… why was she naked?

Teresa Lisbon opened her eyes wide and straightened, using the sheets to cover her upper half. She was in a small bedroom with creamy wallpaper on which were hung world maps, containing the basic furniture –chair, desk and closet- and various article of clothes were spread everywhere on the floor. _Male_ clothes.

Oh dear. This was definitively a guy's room, and not one of her brother's or her soon-to-be-ex boyfriend's. Dread started to spread within and she seriously wondered where she had landed. She didn't recall entering this room, even less undressing, and she had _not_the_faint_idea _who_ had brought her there.

The sound of someone walking behind the door made her froze. A quick glance around and Lisbon realised her own clothes were nowhere in sight. She didn't have time to grab the closest shirt either -the handle was already turning and the door opening. So she breathed in deeply, tightened the sheet firmly around her waist, making sure her chest was covered, and waited.

"Good morning sunshine!"

A blond man in his early twenties –Lisbon sighed in relief, at least she hadn't been picked up by some old cranky pervert- entered the room whistling cheerfully, holding a tray supporting two glasses, a bottle of orange juice, bread and cookies. If the young woman wasn't feeling so shocked for waking up _freaking__naked_ in a stranger's bed, her jaw would have dropped at the sight. The guy had the most attractive features, clear eyes –blue, grey, green? She couldn't tell from where she stood- she had ever met, and a perfectly fit body. Rather in the average height and a veeeery nice chest and leg-.

Wait.

How couldn't she realise it earlier? The guy was half-naked. Heck, the guy was almost naked! He was only wearing a pair of red boxers fitting him perfectly and allowing to imagine quite clearly what was underneath, given the bulge at that particular place… Her cheeks reddened at the thought and she suddenly wished she could disappear in a rabbit's hole. This was NOT happening. She had not gotten drunk enough to spend the night with a complete –hot- stranger. Had she?

"You sleep like the dead" the blond guy went on, ignoring her speechlessness. "You might want some painkillers too" he added, putting down a few pills in a small plate next to a glass of water. "And I figured some good breakfast should wake you up. Unless you want to do something else?" he added with a suggestive smirk.

Lisbon opened her mouth to say something –anything!- but words wouldn't come out. She had just come across the bluest eyes she had ever seen and her heart wouldn't stop beating at erratic pace. When he didn't have an answer, the man sat on the border of the bed, very close to her. She didn't even think of flitching away when he raised a hand to cup her cheek gently, leant forwards and kissed her lips. His mouth was soft against hers, almost testing. He smelt good. He was warm. Tender. For that unique reason, she first enjoyed the gentle pressure by closing her eyes. But when his free hand started to creep behind her back and touch her bare skin, she got cold feet and crawled backwards, keeping a firm grip over the blanket.

"I take it's a no." He muttered, half-amused half-disappointed. He turned towards the tray and picked up some bread for himself before adding: "Go ahead, help yourself."

"Who are you?"

The words blurted out of her mouth before she could even stop them. The young man glanced at her with a puzzled expression and frowned.

"Oh. You don't remember?"

She rolled her eyes and shot back:

"I wouldn't be asking if I did."

That answer made the guy smile in amusement.

"Hangovers are a shame, aren't they my dear? Anyway, my name's Patrick. As you probably realised, you are at my place."

The young woman tried to recall any detail in her defective memory, anything that would confirm Patrick's tale. But she couldn't. Seeing she seemed even more lost, he added in a compassionate tone:

"We met at the nightclub last night. You were drunk out of your mind already. You have been dumped by your boyfriend or you saw him cheating on you, something like that I guess… given the way you were talking about him, I think it's the latter. Since I was the only guy resisting your death glares, you eventually agreed to dance with me."

Lisbon's lips formed a thin line. So far, it made sense. If only to get rid of him afterwards, she would have followed for a while before backing up. Except that given the circumstances she found herself right now, she _mustn__'__t_ have backed up. As if reading her mind, Patrick added.

"Like I said, you were quite drunk. I don't think you were in your right mind when you kissed me."

The young woman's cheeks flushed red. The young man's grin widened.

"Things got a bit heated up afterwards." He leant closer. This time she didn't move but her hand clenched the sheet covering her. "I brought you here." His face was inches of hers now. Her heartbeat had never gone so wild before and her breath got caught in her throat, dreading at what he would say next. "And we had passionate intercourse all night long."

That did it. She pushed him hard enough to make him fall from bed. Patrick hit the ground with a grunt and she crawled further against the wall.

"You're a jerk" she hissed, narrowing her eyes at him.

"So was I told numerous times" he replied, unfazed. That made Lisbon even angrier.

"Just tell me where my clothes are and I'll leave. I wouldn't want to bother you any longer."

"Oh but you were definitively no bother my dear" he replied cockily. "Still aren't by the way."

She realised the blanket had slipped a little too low and he was eyeing her chest with a lecherous gaze.

"You dirty old pervert!" Lisbon hissed again, tightening the grip on the sheet and, pulling it, stepped out of the bed. "Stop taking advantage of the situation! Heck I don't even remember how I ended up here. You could be spilling lies for all I know."

"Hey, you were the one who jumped me first" Patrick said nonchalantly, moving towards her. "You pushed me against the wall and kissed me. Who knew such a small thing like you would be so fierce in bed?"

He stopped just in front of her, and Lisbon had to raise her head to meet his eyes.

"Fuck off" she replied coolly. Perhaps she was fierce in bed –how would she know anyway, she couldn't remember- but if he went on provoking her like this, she would show him how fierce she could be right now too.

As if sensing the change of mood, he stepped aside to let her pass by. Lisbon headed towards the door and was almost out when she head him say:

"Your clothes are in the washing-machine. I prepared spare clothes in the bathroom. First door on the left."

The young woman paused and turned back to glance at him. He was still watching her and the lust was still there, but there was also a softer glint, like… compassion and pity.

"I don't feel guilty about picking you up at the bar, or seducing you or even having sex with you when I had no idea who the hell you were and you were obviously upset. But keep in mind I wouldn't refuse a blatant invitation, not even from an eighteen year old with a fake ID." Her eyes widened in surprised and he added on a softer tone, as explanation: "Your high-school card fell from your bag when I picked it up, Teresa. Go take a shower. When you're done, I'll drive you home."

**-B-**

The water was starting to run cold, but Lisbon couldn't care less. She was done a long time ago with the soap and the shampoo, but she still wanted to stay –to hide-in here a little longer. She couldn't face Patrick. She couldn't face him yet. Memories were slowly remerging and she wanted them all before choosing the appropriate manner to act with him. She couldn't decide if he was a major jerk with a hint of sweetness inside or awkward with girls. Perhaps it was both.

He _did_ bring her breakfast in bed and didn't insist when she backed off.

But he also made it clear she was just a good shot and treated her like a kid.

Lisbon sighed again, and closed her eyes. Pictures and images of the past night came back, and she concentrated to get a full mental viewing.

_Why couldn't the guys leave her alone? She wanted to wallow in her miseries for a few moments. Why did they keep arriving like bees attracted to honey? The blond one was different though. He was handsome and smart, and he knew it. He had beautiful eyes, and a voice that gave her shivers. Plus, he seemed nice. One dance couldn't hurt, right? But once there, she wasn't so sure. His beautiful orbs turned into a predatory mode, his body brushed hers repetitively and his fingers lingered in place they shouldn't really… He was turning her on. Triggering feelings she never felt before, not even with Walter. Butterflies were flying widely in her stomach and her breath was irregular. He never made the first move, so when she had enough of the teasing, she pinned him against the wall and kissed him with no restraint, wanting to melt into him. His hands were becoming more and more adventurous, slipping underneath her shirt, caressing the soft skin of her back and close to her bra…'Your place or mine?' he had asked on a deep, husky tone and she hadn't hesitated one bit when she had replied 'yours'._

She remembered climbing in his car –or rather, falling flat on the seat. She remembered admiring his face in the light of the lampposts while they drove through the dark streets, reeling in the burning feeling his hands had left over her skin. She remembered how intense his gaze had been when he had closed the door behind him, how he pinned her against the wall, how he dispossessed her of her top and bra, how he devoured her neck, her collarbone, sucked her bare breasts and caressed inside her thighs though her jeans with his amazing hands, and how she could only moan at his ministrations, how she clung to his shoulders like her lifeline when he bucked his hips against hers, how desperate she had been to feel him all over her and inside her. Then, it had been his warm, bare body pinning her to his bed, and after a few first minutes of pain, pleasure ripping through hers. Many times. His flashing, lusting eyes when he had possessed her were returning clear as daylight in her mind; as well as her whimpers, pleading voice, _begging_ for… more.

Hot tears formed in her eyes as the water kept falling over her. While she was supposed to be clean on the outside, Lisbon admitted she had never felt so… cheap. Dirty. She had acted like a goddamn whore, giving herself on a silver plate. No wonder that Patrick guy had jumped on the occasion. She tightened her fists against the tiles of the wall and clenched her teeth. She had brought this upon herself alone.

_I never refuse a blatant invitation._

Right now, she just felt like screaming.

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><p><strong>Beginning's okay? Please let me know and I'll update fast ^^<strong>

**Thank you for reading :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks ****to ****AliahMPS;**** droppiedoe;**** ropaola**(thank you :3 hopefully you'll like the rest as well); **TeresaLisbonCBI; ****sbrt**(the answer's in the chapter ^^);** Viviskilener-jisbonist4ever; ****krolinette; ****Camille**** (**glad you like it :3**); ****ayako-chan1;**** lysjelonken;**** lolly2222;**** Eldanar; evonna for their reviews :D **

**And thanks to my half-beta for checking this :3**

**Disclaimer: I only own my twisted imagination :P**

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><p><strong>Blackout<strong>

**2**

Patrick sighed as he watched his… _guest_ shut the door of the bedroom. He took a cookie and ate it. Five minutes passed before he decided to pick up the trail and head back to the kitchen. He wasn't very hungry anyway. He started to put back the items in the cupboard and on second thought, left the food on display on the table, in case she decided to actually eat something before heading back home. If wherever she lived was home, he added to himself. With the faint moonlight running through the half-closed curtains, he had seen the old bruises over her body and the faint leftover of scar on her left wrist.

Whoever this...-he frowned, trying to remember the complete name he had read on her school card- Teresa Lisbon was, she did not have the easiest life. His own parents –or rather his mother and stepfather- had never hit him, so to say. Psychological abuse was far more efficient. And lasted longer. He vaguely wondered if she had to endure both or just the physical hurt. He shrugged. It's not like this was any of his business, right?

Speaking of business… He leant an ear. Water was still running. So still in the shower, pondering over last night's facts? Patrick smiled uneasily. He had been a jerk this morning. The poor girl had such scared eyes when she saw him, seemed so… lost. He shook his head again and walked back to his bedroom. He put a pair of jeans and a white tee on. Hopefully, he being in a more _dressed_ state would ease her fears. Perhaps he shouldn't have tried to seduce her after that good-morning kiss, but the young woman was such a pretty sight in her half-dazed state, blinking hard to fight the headache and at the same time trying to figure out where she was.

Oh yes, beautiful she _was_.

Petite in size, but close to perfect. Her emerald eyes, her freckles, her parted lips, her slender neck, her full-rounded breasts, her soft hands, her long legs and cute tiny feet. Even her bruises couldn't damage her body; they were only proof of her strength, that despite all she was going though, she still held on. She tasted like the forbidden fruit, moaned like an innocent kitten and… And she was surprisingly good in bed too, for a beginner.

Beginner. The word made him wince. Yeah, that was actually a point he regretted not noticing earlier. The previous night, his mind had gone AWOL and his male impulses had taken over. But the signs had been obvious. The clumsiness, hesitation of her hands when she touched him, the apprehension in her eyes when he had unhooked her bra, the trembling of her whole body when he pinned her to the mattress and the tightness…

The young man bit his lower lip guiltily. It hadn't been until he was actually pushing inside her that he had realized something was dead wrong. But it was already too late.

Patrick made his bed and gathered his dirty clothes for the laundry. A quick glance at the clock informed him Teresa had been locked in the bathroom for about half and hour. It didn't worry him much though. After all, his older sister took hours before they were allowed to push that damn door and get clean at last. He went to check her clothes –the machine was done, so up in the drier- and put his own to wash. Walking in front of the bathroom again, he made up his mind and knocked.

"Hey, you're all right in there?"

"'_M__'__fine_" came the dry reply.

"If you need anything just shout" he added before walking away. He doubted she would request his help in any matter, but that was the least he could offer, right?

The young man made his way to the entrance, walked out to check the mail, went back in and sat on his living-room couch to read the newspaper. He was too distracted to register anything though. Pictures of a petite brunette holding a half-filled glass at the bar, staring at him in annoyance kept invading his mind.

**-B-**

After Patrick's call on her, Lisbon decided she had pondered over her thoughts long enough. She quickly dried herself and spotted the spare clothes the young man had mentioned. A large red shirt and a smaller sport pants. While she knew the top would be way too big for her thin frame, the bottom fitted just nice –to her great surprise. Another detail was they were both feminine. Leftovers from his previous lovers? She wondered. And pushed the thoughts away. It was none of her business.

She opened the door of the bathroom wordlessly and headed back to the bedroom. One glance was enough to tell he wasn't there and neither was the trail he had brought earlier. Not wanting to give him the satisfaction of calling after him or asking for food, she started wandering in the short corridors. Pretty soon, she arrived in what she supposed to be the kitchen. He had left the trail on the counter the food in display and she suddenly realized she was starving. The young woman helped herself readily, figuring he had left the whole thing there for her anyway.

Once she was done, she put the used plate and glass in the sink and headed elsewhere. The other room –the living-room, was filled with shelves containing dozens of books, and one large couch facing a TV. And there he was, sitting on the couch, reading a newspaper. Lisbon glanced at the closest books and blinked at the titles.

"Georges Elliot, Edgar Poe, William Blake, Arthur Rimbaud…" she read out loud, more to start a conversation than for herself. "Did you really read all of these?"

Patrick lifted his head a little and smiled.

"I am very opened-minded –and in case you were wondering, I also read comics. It's not like I have much to do when I'm done with work and the usual chores."

"This one's in French" she pointed out, nodding at the _Illuminations_by Rimbaud.

"A friend used to speak fluent French. He taught me a little."

"Enough to read poetry?"

Patrick changed page and grinned:

"Enough to memorize the best pick-up lines."

Lisbon rolled her eyes. Strangely enough, she wasn't so scared anymore; perhaps because they were both fully clothed now.

"That stuff belonged to my sister…" he suddenly said, mentioning her clothes, and added with a smirk: "when she was fourteen. You're so skinny; I'm surprised I even managed to find something fitting."

The young woman narrowed her eyes at him, annoyed now.

"Why, each time you say something decent, you have to counter it with some stupid remark?"

"You're cute when you're angry" he said with a grin.

"Shut up!" she cut, taking a step closer to the couch. "I can't figure you out. One moment you sound like you're a very sweet and caring kind of guy…"

"Has anyone told you how desirable you look dressed in red?"

"…The next you sound like a complete jerk!"

"Perhaps you should call your parents to say you're okay. Your mother must be worried."

"Mom's dead, she can't exactly worry anymore." the young woman retorted with a snarl.

"Oh, so your father was the one beating you?"

Lisbon stared at him in surprise.

"Wh-"

"Your bruises" he explained, folding the newspaper. "They aren't the result of some clumsiness, or some bad luck. Unless you are _really_ clumsy and unlucky, you don't catch so many bruises by accident. They have almost faded, so I suppose they are a few months, if no a year old and I doubt a woman would strike strong enough to make them last so long. The scar on your wrist is, I suppose, from that time. Did your father stop beating you after you attempted suicide?"

"That is pure speculation" she hissed, narrowing her eyes and crossing her eyes defensively. "And how would you know?"

Patrick stood up slowly and took a step closer to her. She didn't back up, and he admired her for that. He was way taller and stronger than she was and, according to his friends, quite intimidating when he put up the poker face.

"I kissed _all__of__them_ last night." She winced at the reminder. "And I know what _abuse_ means, Teresa. My step-father wasn't the most comprehensive man on this planet. He preferred locking me in dark closets though. Your clothes shouldn't be ready till another twenty minutes. Do you want to call your family at least to warn them? Given the pictures in your wallet, you still have brothers who might worry."

The annoyance she felt facing his self-confidence raised a bit more.

"You really went through all my stuff" she snorted, looking around for her handbag. The young man grinned in amusement.

"Old habit. I didn't steal anything, you can check."

"Don't worry, I was going to."

Her snapping made him chuckle and cross arms.

"You are really cute when you're annoyed."

The cockiness in his tone and the honesty in his eyes made her wonder whether she should slap him senseless or blush in appreciation. Not many guys complimented her in general; and the way he looked at her, ever after seeing her completely naked and having had sex with her already…

"And red really emphasizes your curves…"

She rolled her eyes. That guy…

"Oh shut up."

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><p><strong>Was this up to your expectations? Or not? Please let me know ^^<strong>

**Thank you for reading so far!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks ****to ****AliahMPS;**** lysjelonken; ****krolinette; ****Totorsg;**** Lua **(honestly, I have no idea. I just picked up a name that _sounded_ fitting with the plot and kept it ^^")**; ****sbrt** (glad you did ^^ I hope you'll like the rest :3**);**** Laurore;**** Brown****Eyes****Parker;**** shuvee**(thank you :D hope you'll like this one too :3);** Smnbkr;**** Viviskilener-jisbonist4ever;**** Antsybal; ****Camille ****(**Hee glad you like it :3 I try to keep them IC as much as possible and if you think it's good, then yay :D –je suis francaise tu sais, si tu prefere review-er en francais...)**;**** basaltone;**** Nimueiswriting;**** richardxxx1;**** MarvelDC****superhero****fan**** for**** their**** reviews ****:D (hopefully I didn't forget anyone ^^") Thanks for the alerts and favourite too :3  
><strong>

**And thanks to my half-beta for checking this :)**

**Disclaimer: I only own my twisted imagination :P**

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><p><strong>Blackout <strong>

**3**

Lisbon shut her cell and sighed in relief. So far, her brothers had spent the night unharmed. Since he had applied for a program in rehab, her father hadn't touched a bottle of alcohol or raised his hand on them the last ten months. But she still feared he would relapse and turn violent again. However Tommy assured her that the evening had been uneventful and that he and James would take care of little Chris until her return so she didn't need to hurry. His tone seemed hasty though, as if he was lying to hide something from her. The young woman just hoped they weren't planning to crash some big party behind her back, or sneak into the arcade while she was gone.

She glanced to her left. Patrick had kept staring at her the whole conversation, leaning against a close wall with his arms crossed.

"Are you going to stop looking at me?" she asked, narrowing her eyes in annoyance. The blond man grinned.

"You're the only beautiful thing worth looking at in this room." She rolled her eyes. "Truly. I don't think you realise it, but you _are_ a hell of a hottie."

"Let me guess." Lisbon faked thinking. "You want to sweep me off my feet again?"

Patrick's grin widened more.

"Oh you have no idea." He replied on a teasing tone, yet the glint in his eyes was serious. She preferred not to dwell on the subject any longer. There was something about him, this… charisma that was undeniably charming and attractive. Lisbon knew each time she was facing a stupid jackass. And even though Patrick was a jackass, stupid he was not. And he was good-looking. Very good looking. Heck, he was the most handsome guy she had ever come across!

He still hadn't torn his eyes away from her.

The young woman glanced around his living room nervously, hands fidgeting. Although she… felt he was still a more or less decent guy and wouldn't touch her unless she asked for it, she wasn't at ease knowing he still wanted her. The pleasurable moments they had spent the previous night were still fresh in her memory, and even though she had known him for barely a few hours, something was definitively attracting her to him. In fact, Lisbon wasn't really scared of the man; she was more scared of _herself_ and losing control. Control had always been a huge necessity in her life and a part of her. It was also something she would not treat lightly, for the consequences of loosing up were… unpredictable. And she hated unpredictable.

Like waking up in a stranger's bed.

"What's torturing your mind my dear?"

She didn't answer, instead glanced outside the window. It was raining hard.

"Is there a storm coming up?"

"The weathercast said so yesterday" Patrick replied nonchalantly. "Why? You're afraid of thunder?"

Lisbon didn't feel the necessity to inform him that her mother had died on a rainy day, and the bitter memory would resurface each time drops decided to show up.

"Something like that."

The young man uncrossed his arms and stepped closer. Lisbon evaded his glance by walking towards the window and pressing her forehead against the cool glass. Her hand slipped flat over it, and her breath created a small fog around it. She knew that the imprint of her fingers would remain a few seconds on the glass before vanishing when she'll take them off.

"Hey, Teresa?"

His arms sneaked around her waist and he pulled her back against his chest. At first, Lisbon tried to fight his embrace by struggling, but when she didn't feel any arousal indication against her behind, decided to let him do. His arms wrapped around her shoulders in a tight, supposedly comforting hug. His scent enveloped her, her body was flat against his stronger one and instead of feeling trapped, a sense of peace and safety invaded her.

"I don't know what's on your mind" he whispered, his breath hot against her ear. "But you definitively need to cheer up."

The young woman caught their reflection in the window glass. The image she saw of them made her feel uneasy. The way he held her, they looked like a couple. Her heartbeat increased at the very thought.

"And you are offering to 'cheer me up' with your body?" she snarled to hide her sudden unease.

His lips twisted upwards.

"_Only_ if you are up to it."

His fingers lingered over her upper thigh like a caress. She shivered at the contact, closed her eyes and cursed herself immediately for doing so. How did the damn man do to make her head empty in nanoseconds and create butterflies in her stomach with one touch? Barely fifteen minutes earlier, in the shower, she had felt so cheap with her actions, but now… Now he was making her feel _good_. Her breath got caught in her throat and a quiet moan threatened to bypass her lips, but she forced herself to swallow it back. No need to encourage the young man further. However, her lapse of thinking didn't go unnoticed.

Patrick sensed everything. The moment her rationality started to fade, the moment she was tempted to melt in his embrace…the moment she would give in if he kept touching her lightly. Even though he wouldn't confess it to her, this situation did not happen often. Usually, he would wait until his one-night stands were dressed to walk them out, not caring if their clothes were in bad shape or if they smelled like cigarettes and alcohol. And most of the time, he didn't even bother driving them to his place, rather booked a room in a hotel nearby. For some reason, this little woman felt… different. Aside from her physical appearance –nothing to say about it, he thought amusingly- there was the innocence. The way she looked at him candidly this morning, spoke to him or even responded to his touch. And the previous night…

Yes, this girl was definitively something. And he wanted her again.

As his body reacted to his stream of thoughts, Lisbon stiffened. This time, she broke through the barrier of his arms and turned to face him, anger, shame -and, to his great pleasure, lust- written altogether on her face.

"I'm not a random woman you can bed anytime!" she hissed. "I swear you…"

Patrick wanted to protest. He wanted to say she hardly fit the _randomness_ column in his book, that any guy who did not desire her was either blind or gay, but the way her eyes flashed, her cheeks flushed or her hair moved made him snap and he didn't let her finish. Instead, the young man stepped closer, pushed her against the wall, trapped her chin single-handedly and leant over her.

"Such crude words for such a pretty mouth" he whispered against her mouth. Her eyes widened in –fear? Desire?- and her lips parted. Knowing he wouldn't have the same chance twice, Patrick closed the distance between them and kissed her firmly.

Lisbon's whole body tensed, her hands crawled over his chest but she didn't push him away. He moved slowly against her, not wanting to freak her out by being too… passionate. When he pulled back for some air, her lids were half-closed.

"Why do you keep doing this?" she whispered, almost sadly. An interesting battle reflected on her face. Consciously or not, she was letting him read her like an open book. Part of her wanted to run away, escape this place and never come back. The other part was strongly willing to surrender and repeat a performance of the previous night. His hand slipped in her silky hair and enjoyed the feeling of them between his fingers.

"You're not stopping me strongly enough." Patrick retorted, breathing deeply to inhale her scent fully, getting it imprinted in his mind. Cinnamon, mixed up with his own fir tree. He loved it.

"I thought you never went where you weren't invited."

The young man buried his face in her shoulder and bit her neck. Teresa gasped and involuntarily tipped her head back against the wall, allowing him more access.

"You aren't stopping me" he repeated against her jaw, peeping small kissed there.

Her skin was warm and soft, and tasted as good. Would he ever get over that feeling? He had never encountered a girl fitting his tastes so well.

"Are you done now?" she asked, her voice slightly shaking. Her involuntary arching against him told him though how much she… _liked_ it. Even if he suspected she would never admit it, even to herself.

"There are so many things I wish I could do to you right now." Patrick replied with straight honesty. His knee set between her thighs and he flattened her whole body with his. "One option is tearing up your clothes and taking you against the wall. Another one" he went on, his left hand wandering way too low for comfort. "Is to kneel right here and let my mouth do the magic. They all end the same way though... making you _scream._"

His fingers slipped under the oversized shirt and toyed with the waistband of her sport shorts. She tensed immediately, pushed him away and ran in the kitchen for safety. Shut the door, locked it and leant against it. Her whole being was shaking and she left herself fall on the cool ground. Her legs folded, she wrapped her arms around her knees, hiding her face there. A sob tightened her throat but she bit her lower lip to restrain it. No need to let that Patrick guy know how messed up her mind was right now. No need to let him take advantage of her. Especially when his light touch was bringing upfront a new… need. The previous night, he had made her feel desired, unique, _beautiful_. Something Lisbon desperately wanted from Walter, something he never gave her.

Her mother had told her a few days before her accident, that love was a beautiful thing; that it was the inevitable conclusion between two beings romantically involved and wanting to share their lives. That it was not to be given to someone randomly. Not the way _she_ had given herself away.

As Patrick started to call after her through the door, Lisbon cursed herself quietly. How was she going to get out of this place with her dignity intact and pretend nothing had happened?

She could still feel his large hands roaming over her body, branding her as his; see the intense desire in the depth of his eyes as he panted breathlessly. His hot, wet kisses over her mouth, his warm and strong embrace; his slow and gentle thrusts inside her. The unique pleasure that shook her as he accelerated his pace, playing her body like a violin. Meeting his eyes was enough to revive the memories; could she even handle his advances? Lisbon left a sigh of frustration and hit the back of her head against the door, cursing once more.

What was she going to do?

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><p><strong>I know kitchen doors usually don't have lockers, but for the sake of this chapter (and the next) let's just say this one has :3.<strong>

**Let me know if you liked it :D!**

**And thank you for reading so far :3**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys! So this is the last chapter on 'the morning after'. Next one will be a little 2-days jump in time. **

**Thanks ****to ****AliahMPS;**** Camille **(Haha oui je pensais que tu prefererais repondre dans cette langue ^^. G&M devrait bientot etre mis a jour; quand a GA, j'attends toujours des nouvelles de mon beta :P. Merci beaucoup :3 ca fait toujours plaisir a entendre xD); **Brown****Eyes****Parker; ****Smnbkr;**** sbrt**(they did need an extra reason to stick in his apartment lol :P glad you liked it :3)**MarvelDC****superhero****fan****;**** evonna **(thank you. I'm not usually into writing that kind of stuff but for some reason I was quite motivated for this fic :3**); ****Totorsg;**** Viviskilener-jisbonist4ever; ****for ****their ****reviews**** :3 ****Thanks**** for ****the ****alerts ****and ****favourite ****too ****:D**

**And thanks to my half beta for checking this ;)**

**Disclaimer: I only own my twisted mind.**

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><p><strong>Blackout <strong>

**4**

"I'm sorry I scared you Teresa. I promise I won't do it again."

Lisbon curled into herself even more, desperately wishing to find an escape to this place. For the past ten minutes he had called out for her, apologized a hundred times, but she couldn't make up her mind and unlock the door.

"Please come out, I promise I won't touch you. I'm sorry."

The young woman didn't answer, instead glanced around. She hadn't noticed it the first time, but pictures of people were pinned on a board, next to his fridge. After making sure the door was well locked, Lisbon stood up and walked towards the board to take a look at the images.

They were all black and white, featuring people in public places. Some were pausing, others weren't. A small boy was watching the photographer while his mother called after him. An elderly couple was kissing, sitting on a swing under a tree. On the left side of the board, three pictures featured the same woman in public places, obviously dressed for the event, who was posing in different positions. The last one, she was half-laying on a couch and…

_Is__ she __naked __on __that __one?_ Teresa wondered, not managing to figure out if the model had kept her bra and panties under the white, thin, silk-like sheet covering her body. Another picture of a man stared right back at her seductively, wearing very little and exhibiting his large, broad and muscular chest. Lisbon couldn't help a small smile and pulled back to appreciate the whole view. These were very good quality pictures, she realized. Was Patrick a professional photographer? She hadn't seen many books on that subject on his shelves…

One picture caught her attention though.

It was the only one in colour, featuring three people –a woman, and two teenagers. The woman had blond, wavy hair and a gentle smile. The older teen, a fair-haired girl with green eyes, was glaring at the younger one, a dark-haired boy with a shameful, guilt-like expression on his face. The features seemed familiar somehow. She had already seen them somewhere, but that was…a long time ago.

"See something you like?"

The unexpected voice made her jump in surprise. Patrick was standing right behind her and the kitchen door was wide opened. Lost in her contemplation, she had completely forgotten about him.

"How did you get in?" The young man grinned and showed a small metallic bar. "You picked up the lock?" she asked in disbelief.

"I was craving for chocolate bar" he replied cheerfully. "And since you didn't seem in a hurry to open the door…"

Lisbon pushed away the guilt and growled back:

"You scared me off in the first place, remember?"

Patrick's smile fell.

"I know. I'm sorry. In my defense, you look irresistible."

The young woman rolled her eyes in annoyance before turning back to the board.

"Who is this?" she asked, glancing sideways at him. Patrick looked at what she was pointing at, and smiled softly.

"The people on the colored picture. That's my… family. Bottom right, my half-sister Angela and next to her, my half-brother Danny. My mother's on the left."

"They are young" the young woman pointed out. "I thought you had an older sister?"

Patrick's smile faltered a little.

"That's… they _are_ my siblings. The picture's a bit old now. Angie is twenty-seven and Danny twenty-five."

Lisbon's lips tightened in a thin line. The teenagers on the picture couldn't be more than fifteen and eighteen tops.

"Things are a bit… screwed up between us" Patrick added, unfazed. "I haven't seen them properly in maybe… seven years? I ran away from home when I was fifteen, never went back. I couldn't anyway. Roger would have kicked me out if I did. My step-father" he added when she frowned in puzzlement. "He's not on the picture."

The young woman turned back her attention to the board, understanding his silent message. _He__'__s __not __on __the__ picture.__ He __doesn__'__t __belong __there._

"Where is your biological father then?"

She thought she crossed a line when his features tensed, but he answered in a cool, detached tone:

"No idea. I met him only once and that was more than enough."

Lisbon didn't pursue her inquisition. She knew too well that some subjects were better left aside.

"And what about this one?" she asked, pointing the woman posing in three different positions. "Is she a lover of yours?"

Patrick shook his head, a smile growing over his face.

"No way. She's just a friend. No way" he repeated, with a small laugh. "I'm not getting romantically involved in any way. Her boyfriend would destroy me if I did" he chuckled, before adding: "No, Grace is just a very good friend who accepts to pose for me from time to time. Plus, _that_ picture was made on her request. For him." The young man pointed the little-dressed guy with the seductive smirk. "Do you wanna try?".

"Try what?"

"Posing. My 'studio' is right behind that door."

She realized there was indeed a door in the corner, half-hidden by the fridge. Lisbon narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Patrick sighed, plunging a hand in his hair in annoyance.

"I'm not talking about nude or anything. Jeez, I'm not such a perv." He paused a second. "Although I do like to work with half-nude models. Light is easier to catch."

Lisbon shook her head in discomfort.

"No, I don't think so. I mean, the posing. I don't think it's a good idea."

"Why not?"

"I barely know you! And… and with my…" The young man figured she was mentioning her bruises, but her fingers pointed her outfit. "I can't pose in _this_."

"But you want to." He was smiling now. Lisbon felt like slapping that frustrating grin off his face.

"Not the point." She replied, growling.

"Exactly the point" he retorted stubbornly. "Never mind the clothes, success is in the look, the way you express feelings through your eyes. And you have the most expressing face I've ever seen. Plus" he added with a smirk "You are so cute it would be a crime _not_ to take a picture."

The way the young man's eyes flashed and his grin made her blush a little. Damn, why despite not trusting him, he made her want to try? She wasn't any better than a naïve little girl. Especially when he looked at her like this. As much as it caused her discomfort, it flattered her. The young woman knew she shouldn't agree to do this, that her brothers were up to something and that she needed to come back soon. Although driving under rain wasn't her favourite activity, the very last thing she needed was being stuck with a horny stranger in a confined space. Especially when her control wasn't at its best either.

"Are my clothes dry now?" Lisbon eventually asked. The young man's face fell in resignation and shrugged.

"Dunno, I have to check. But given the time I've put the drier on it should be oka-"

"Just one then."

Patrick blinked, puzzled. The young woman smiled at his confusion and shyly bit her lower lip. She had to confess, the perspective of being a 'model' for a photographer, just for once, tempted her too much.

"One picture, that's all. And one condition –you never show it to anyone. Not even your friends. And even less sell it to a magazine or something."

When the young man grinned in victory, he still asked with an intrigued tone:

"Why should I sell your picture? I keep them to myself. Or… oh I see" his face lightened with amusement. "I'm not a photographer, just an amateur."

"You're not a pro?" Teresa asked in disbelief. "But they look really good…"

"Mom had a good eye for these things. I guess I inherited it from her" Patrick replied, shrugging. "But no, as I say to many people, photography is just a hobby for me. Still interested or do you take your offer back?"

His twinkling eyes made her stomach twist and warm spread inside. Lisbon knew without a doubt that if she agreed to follow him in his studio, something would happen. Her survival, reasonable instinct was screaming at her to run. The careless one, to shred his clothes and damn the consequences.

This wasn't her. She wasn't the type of girl to go out to a bar or nightclub to forget her worries. She wasn't the type to jump at a hot stranger and spend the night with them. She wasn't the type to let herself being seduced by the said hot stranger and longing for him again either.

Jeez, what was with her?

"Teresa?"

Big baby blue eyes, a charming face and a personality made of annoyingness and gentleness. Lisbon sighed inwardly. _That__ guy_ was her problem.

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><p><strong>Can't wait for the next TM episode. Time, move faster! <strong>

**Thank you for reading so far :D**


	5. Chapter 5

**I know I should have updated this thing ages ago (it's been ready ages ago, just needed a check up) but I just couldn't put my mind into it -_-. Anyway, here it is now :P**

**Thanks for the reviews :D (I'll reply decently next time... kinda busy right now...sorry -_-)**

**Disclaimer: I only owe my twisted imagination :P**

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><p><strong>Blackout<strong>

**5**

When she had to return to school Monday morning, Lisbon was surprised to see that the first person to accost her was a classmate she almost never spoke to. Madeline Hightower was not the kind of girl you messed up with. While the brunette knew she was smart, reliable and had a golden heart, her straight-arrow, snappy and foul-mouthed behavior tended to scare people off, resulting in having little friends among her peers. So when the black young woman popped out of nowhere to question her, the dark-haired was a little caught off guard:

"Where the heck were you Saturday morning? We agreed to meet at the library at 10 am for the damn car presentation!"

At first, the argument of work made her worry plausible –they did agree the past Friday, but even before she could think of some reply, Madeline kept storming off:

"I didn't have your phone number, so I went to check at your home. Your bro told me you were at a friend's place, and I know that bitch of Cindy and her crew were out on a tour in Las Vegas. I know you're the serious kind so I suppose either you got caught up in something, or you had a huge problem you wouldn't even talk about to your siblings. So what is it?"

Lisbon frowned in annoyance.

"It's none of your business."

"So it's about a guy. Rumors are running that Walter is screwing Cindy. You figured out and locked yourself somewhere?"

The dark-haired young woman's thoughts immediately wandered back at Patrick's place, where she had eventually spent the rest of the day. For one, the storm was too strong for them to leave the coziness of his apartment, and the wild side of her, encouraged by the lusting gazes he kept sending her while moving behind the camera, had eventually won over the reasonable part. The feeling was there. It only needed a crack to make it burst. She just surprised herself by initiating the action –hungry looks, wicked grins- and that was enough to wake up the beast inside him. And action… oh God, actions there have been.

He had reluctantly dropped her Saturday night, no questions asked from her brothers or father, and it had taken all Sunday to get over the arch between her legs and soreness of her whole body. That son of a bitch had taken his sweet time with her. Not that she had been complaining; she had been an active and willing participant after all. The thought they might never meet each other again saddened her though. This was the aftermath of a one-night -and day- stand, not an ordinary day in a couple's life.

"…or you jumped into the arms of another wooer?"

The young woman's attention snapped back into place and she glared at the black teen, trying hard not to blush.

"That's none of your business!"

"I was drenched and worried" Madeline replied dryly. "Sorry if I'm a bit nosy about the reasons why I got sick for the rest of the weekend." Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "So you did go with that brainless chick to the nightclub. What happened? Hangover? Blackout?"

"Listen I'm sorry I stood you up" Lisbon eventually grumbled. "But the way I spend my week-ends is none of your concern. When can we meet for the car project?"

The black young woman looked tempted to pursue her inquisition, but eventually decided against it. Both students weren't that close after all, and there was no reason why it would change today. On her side, Lisbon never thought Madeline would care. She never seemed to notice her existence before having to work in pairs. Oh well…

"I have some free time after school today" Madeline replied coolly. "But I need to be home at 6. Is it all right for you?"

A quick mental operation occurred in her mind. Her brothers were out for the evening, so she didn't need to worry about coming home later. If she had a close friend, the young woman would have probably asked for a sleepover. Or perhaps if she had Patrick's number, she'd call him if he was interested for another… Pushing the thought aside, Lisbon eventually nodded her agreement. If she had to forget about that damn man, better start now.

**-B-**

Two days had gone by and Lisbon sometimes wondered if that the night had just been nothing else but a dream. The only proof that something had happened was Cindy's return in class and her fake smile when she asked for the past days lessons. The hurt of seeing her so-called best friend hooking up with her boyfriend had reemerged full force, so Teresa had smiled sweetly and told her to pick a new lackey. The blond bimbo had huffed in indignation, sat back with her equally brainless friends and Lisbon had spotted the amused smirk on Madeline's face.

A little later, she was reading at her favorite spot, under a tree a little aback from the high-school buildings. The place was rarely frequented by anyone, so she heard the footsteps long before the newcomer arrived. It didn't surprise her much to see her ex-boyfriend showing up like nothing has changed. Thinking of it, Lisbon realized she hadn't called the shots off. After Friday night, Walter had been completely evicted from her mind and she hadn't thought of sending him a text to signal they were definitely no couple anymore.

"Hey Teresa!"

Lost in her thoughts, she hadn't realized he was standing so close now. The young woman muttered 'hi' and went back to her book. Walter frowned in surprise. Usually, she would greet him with a smile and hug him, kiss him or something, but not just wave him off indifferently.

"Is something wrong?" he asked. "You look a bit distracted today. Something happened?"

"I had a tiring week-end" she replied, a faint smile growing on her lips. If only he knew. To her great displeasure, he sat next to her and tried to wrap an arm around her shoulders. Lisbon shrugged him away and moved a bit further from him. He stared at her in complete shock.

"Okay Teresa, what's wrong? You never got shy from a contact with me."

The dark-haired woman returned his pointed stare, ready for a kill.

"No, I never was. But if you want to be more cuddly, you'd rather turn to Cindy. She seemed to enjoy your mouth-sucking game last Friday night."

The young man's face fell and he swallowed awkwardly.

"You…you saw us?"

"Cindy had the kindness to invite me to the party. Of course I saw you." She replied, returning to her reading and hoping he would leave. The last thing she wanted right now was to be bothered by that cheater. Unfortunately, he didn't seem to take her unresponsiveness like a form of rejection.

"You're…not angry?"

Lisbon raised a brow in his direction.

"Angry? I was mad as hell. But it's okay now." She waited until Walter's face showed some relief before adding sweetly: "Thanks to you I met a great guy with very gentle hands. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to finish this." She added, mentioning her book.

The shock on the young man's face tasted like sweet victory. Now he knew that, not only she was dumping him, but he had missed the chance of being her first –something she suspected he was looking forwards to since he asked her out. Too bad for him. If he had been able to keep it in his pants, perhaps he could…A deep shiver ran through her spine at the thought of the dark-haired young man, touching her at the places _he_ had…No, she thought determinedly. Until someone else managed to seduce her like _Patrick_ had, she wouldn't give in.

Walter was still staring dumbly, looking lost. The sense of peacefulness evaporated immediately, replaced by annoyance. Lisbon shut her book and stood up.

"Leave me alone from now on."

He was too stunned to reply, but she didn't wait for his answer anyway and left him there.

The following days, neither Walter nor her ex-friends tried to approach her anymore. Instead, Lisbon bounded more with Madeline and books. Especially the ones she had spotted in Patrick's library. While she wasn't fond of poetry or classic novels, she still wanted to try to get a bigger picture of the young man. Patrick intrigued her, and despite the small chitchat they had between two rounds, she still couldn't define his persona. So _just in case_ she met him again…

"Excuse-me, the library is soon going to close."

Lisbon blinked and nodded at the librarian. She rented a few books –Georges Elliot and Poe- and began to walk back home. The sun was still high in the bright blue sky, and she didn't feel like going home immediately. Instead, she walked towards the park. The place soothed her and Lisbon thought she did deserve a hint of a break to clear her mind.

Thankfully, a bench was currently free. She sat there and closed her eyes. The sunlight was warming up her skin nicely and for the first time in weeks, she felt her body relax. It didn't last very long though.

A shadow came to darken the view. Lisbon opened her eyes in annoyance, ready to snap at the un-welcomed silhouette, when she recognized the face. A huge grin spread on her lips, mirroring the one on the bald man face's standing in front of her.

"Hey Sam!"

**-B-**

Patrick cursed himself for the umpteenth time. A complete week had passed since that fateful night, and he still hadn't got over it.

Each time he would approach a new girl, the face of a petite fierce brunette would come to haunt him, and he would feel so guilty and angry at himself that he would leave the nightclub and back at his apartment, dream about her.

Teresa Lisbon.

Even though he did admit having some stirrings and genuine affection towards her since the beginning, these feelings had turned close to obsession with each day passing by. He wanted to see her again. He wanted to pin her underneath him and take her until his craving was gone, although some little voice whispered the need would only increase. The sole day he had spent with her, he had started to know her. And what he didn't learn, he craved to know. His friends teased him a lot about it, that he just needed to see her again to set things clear, and let him realize she was probably not for him (that suggestion was very supported by Kristina, whom he knew had a crush on him and high hopes to go out with him one day, although that would never happen, because she was way too creepy).

But he couldn't help it. Not only he… needed to have her in his bed, but he also missed _her_. After many rounds of lovemaking, they had talked a little, her head resting on his chest, and limbs intertwined. The peace and contentment he had felt at that very moment surprised him.

The young man sighed again and rested his forehead on the wheel of his car. Without even being here, she was driving him crazy. He really, really needed to see her again. Thus, why he had been posted at her school for the past two days, waiting helplessly for her to show up. And when she eventually had, he didn't find the guts to step out of the car and talk to her.

And that was a first. Patrick had had never been shy with girls. He knew how to approach them, how to talk to them and enroll them in his wicked mind games. Teresa… she was a different story. Yes, he had seduced her at the nightclub; yes, he had her more times than he could ever hope for the next day. But there was that nagging feeling that she was the one leading in the dance after the first time. The young man had never been nervous before, never had to pray or beg to bed a girl. _She_ had been the one initiating things between them. And that had never happened before. Added to the unusual care he surrounded her with that morning…

Patrick hit his head against the wheel a second time and sighed deeply. Whatever was happening to him, there was one undeniable truth; he couldn't get her off his mind. And now, he was _so_ screwed.

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><p><strong>Will definitely try to update faster next time ^^".<strong>

**Thank you for reading so far :D **

**(a little review to brighten my day?) **

**and Happy New Year :3**


	6. Chapter 6

**This one is kinda short, but promise, the next should be more length-yish  
><strong>

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter! And thanks to my half-beta for checking this :)**

**Camille: **xD merci j'espere que tu l'apprecieras jusqu'au bout :3

**Evonna: **uh…I don't do smut very well so I'm afraid there won't be flashbacks here ^^". Hope you'll like the…'alternative' ^-^

**Disclaimer: I only own my twisted imagination :P**

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><p><strong>Blackout<strong>

**6**

"It has been a while, Teresa."

The bald man grinned at her and she moved aside to leave him enough room to sit. Samuel Bosco had been, over the years, one of the rare people she truly trusted. He was the cop who had announced her mother's death, but had supported her and her brothers in many ways afterwards. His wife was just as welcoming and their kids were about her youngest brother's age.

From what she knew about him, he and Mandy had married early out of pure love, no pressure from parents or unwanted pregnancy. Since Bosco had a bit of money to spare, they had bought a nice little house on the suburbs of San Francisco and started their life of young couple there. Nine years later, and they were still as happy as the first day. Deep inside, Teresa had always dreamt of this kind of fairy tale ending for herself when she was younger. She even remembered declaring bluntly to her sweetheart when she was eight years old, that they would marry when they were of legal age. Then her family had moved away.

"Yes indeed Sam" Lisbon replied with a grin. "So, what's up in the Justice department?"

"Not much more than what you see on TV" he said good-naturally before frowning. "I couldn't get hold of you these last months. Were you avoiding me or something?"

The young woman bit her lower lip and looked away. True, she hadn't tried to contact him, and did avoid him for a while, because she knew he would pry for information on their current life. Her father's drunken state had worsened at the time, and she didn't want to raise suspicions for asking what age she could be a legal tutor for her brothers yet. Plus, he was pretty good to pick up her lies. But now that things had turned out slightly better...

"No, not really" she eventually muttered, aiming for a half-lie. "It's just… since we're in high school, the schedules have been horrific. Teachers always give us homework and stuff, you know." She hesitated before adding: "And Dad's still a bit depressed, I had to take care of the little monsters. It's like taking a full-time job, you know."

"You should have called" the bald man said on a reproachful tone. "Mandy and I would have helped."

_You more than Mandy_, she thought, restraining a grimace. It was no secret that Bosco had a little weakness for her. His wife had told her once as a warning, insisting on the fact she didn't blame it on her, and even though she was young, Lisbon was not stupid. She knew Bosco was a decent man, but even decent men had their slips. What he saw in her, she wondered, but did not wish to be his main attention. That was also part of the reasons why she had avoided him. Even though sometimes, she gladly turned a blind eye on this detail to keep her 'friendship' with him intact. When she really needed comfort, he would always be there.

"I manage Sam. The boys are starting to grow up, so there's no problem."

"If you say so" Bosco replied, shrugging away. "So what's up with you lately?"

The young woman smiled softly. Perhaps she could mention her… foolishness with Patrick.

"I made a huge mistake two weeks ago, and I am not sorry for it."

Bosco encouraged her to continue, and she did. Perhaps that was not the wisest idea she ever had, especially when the more she talked, the more his face darkened. But she needed someone who would listen. Chatting with a stuffed animal or a teddy bear was starting to get old and her so-called ex-friends had never been an option. Just for once, Lisbon wanted a true confident, and aside from Bosco, she had no-one.

"And what's the last name of the lad?" he asked once she was done talking. The young woman shrugged.

"Dunno. Patrick was the only name he gave me, and I didn't think of asking him. It's not like I am going to see him again anyway."

The man's stared fixated on something before them. The intensity of her gaze made her uneasy.

"Hey Sam…"

"I'm going to find that son of a bitch" he growled before turning towards her again, compassion written on his face. "Don't worry Teresa, that… Patrick is going to pay for what he did."

Lisbon winced. Okay, perhaps she should have stuck with the stuffed animals.

"Sam, no need to get so worked up. I'm not upset with…"

"You're underage Teresa! That is a crime in regards of the law."

"I sneaked in a nightclub using a fake ID, and I'm eighteen. The one in the wrong is me." She retorted dryly, shaking her head. "Listen, there's no need to pull out the guns and powder, I told you I don't regret what I did. Heck I wish I could see him again. He was an interesting guy to chat with."

Her words displeased the bald man, she immediately saw it in his frown. Clouds were starting to gather in the darkening sky. It was still early in the evening and the weathercast had promised a clear evening, but apparently, Mother Nature had her own plans. Lisbon decided to call it a night, especially since her conversation with Sam wasn't turning out so well. She couldn't believe he was so shocked she acted this way –wait, she could; she just didn't expect such a reaction.

"Okay Sam, I gotta go. I need to finish a few chores on the way."

That seemed to snap the man out of his thoughts. The young woman didn't like the glint in his eyes.

"I should drive you back."

"I'll be fine" she replied dryly and stood up before he could react, waving at him. "See you one of these days."

_The later the better_, she couldn't help adding mentally as she walked away.

**-B-**

There she was. Patrick couldn't believe it. He was just driving out of work when he caught sight of her walking on the pavement. There was no mistake, it was her thin frame, her long legs and dark hair dancing in the light wind. The young man glanced at the sky and realized how dark it was turning. So, he took a deep breath, pulled over and lowered his window.

"Teresa! Hey Teresa!"

The words blurted out before he could even stop them. The young woman paused and looked around. After a few seconds of scanning her environment, she finally caught sight of him. At first she didn't react, and Patrick felt dread. What if she didn't recognize him? What if she didn't want to see him again? He desperately wished to know her more from her, but that didn't really mean that the feeling was reciprocated. But when the grin spread over her face when she _did_ recognize him, Patrick's heartbeat increased in seconds. God, she was so beautiful.

"Hey Patrick!" Lisbon greeted back, walking closer towards the car. The young man forced himself not to ogle too much and leaned closer to ask:

"Want me to drop you off somewhere?"

He had barley finished his question, her hand was already over the door of the car's handle. When she took place on the passenger's seat, a bunch of information invaded the young man's senses. The faint scent of cinnamon and sweat, the dark hair, the slender neck, porcelain skin…

"Patrick?"

The melody of her voice, her big, green eyes and long lashes made his heartbeat increase in seconds. A loud horn behind tore him out of his reverie, to Lisbon's great amusement.

"Stop staring" she warned with a hint of teasing. "And drive, you're going to start a traffic jam."

Patrick muttered a 'sorry' and pulled back in the traffic lane. A tensed silence settled in the car, and each second ticking, he felt stupider and stupider. He wanted to see her so much, yet when she was sitting right next to him, he couldn't utter a word. He just wanted to touch her, reassure himself into thinking that what he was not dreaming, that she was real.

"I'm glad to see you" Lisbon whispered, not daring glancing at him either.

His presence, right next to her, brought back the feelings of the moments they shared in his apartment. His hands were tight on the wheel, and she suspected him to follow the same stream of thoughts. Her fingers itched to touch him, to experiment if the way he felt was the same; if his skin was still rough, if his lips were still tender, if his hair was still soft…

"Where should I drive you?"

"I don't care."

Her answer was immediate, with no hesitation. Lisbon knew the young man would read her intentions the moment she pronounced the words. She couldn't help it. She had missed him so much; she didn't care if their… reunion started by having sex in the back seat of his car.

"You sure?"

His voice was not shaking, but his eyes were telling her a whole different story. He had missed her too. Their gaze crossed. He knew exactly what she wanted; she knew exactly what he needed. A single nod from her part did the trick. Patrick made up his mind and changed lanes. He took the first exit and followed the first path leading them away from civilization. The first droplets fell there. Her hand, after a short hesitation, came to rest over his thigh and squeezed it gently. Patrick tensed immediately, and she continued her teasing caresses.

"If you don't want us to have an accident" he suddenly whispered huskily "You better stop that."

Lisbon couldn't help but chuckle at his words. It felt… nice, to have some hint of power over him for a change. When they were in motion, _he_ was the one controlling every bits and parts of her body. They eventually arrived at the edge of a forest, and Patrick drove them on a wild path, where little people would wander in this weather. At this point, Lisbon's stomach was already tightening with anticipation and her breath becoming shallow. She knew what was about to occur, and she couldn't wait until it finally happened.

After what seemed hours, the young man cut the engine and turned towards her. His pupils had considerably darkened –she shivered at the sight- and his breath was erratic, deep now. Lisbon didn't wait any longer. The moment he leaned forward, she met him halfway and closed the distance between them with a kiss.

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><p><strong>I'll try to update next chapter quicker ^^" and hope you liked it (let me know? It would be very kind of you :3)<strong>

**Thank you for reading so far!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Thanks to everyone for their lovely reviews :D They put me in great mood xD  
><strong>

**Shuvee **: hee thanks :3. Next time I'll try to update faster…although it depends a lot on my half-beta's schedule too. Thanks for the review :D

**Camille: **haha ui il fallait bien un ''adversaire'' pour Jane :P Ils vont se confronter, juste pas tout a fait maintenant :3 (aww merci o^^o, ca fait toujours plaisir. J'espere que tu aimeras la suite aussi ^^'') Merci pour le review :3

**Jazz (x3): **just so you know I don't ninja-update very often ^^'' but nice to know you like this fic o*-*o. I usually take a few days (depending on my half-beta's and my schedule) so no worries, next chapter will be updated sooner than later this week…just not tomorrow lol ^^" Thank you for the reviews :3

**And thanks to my half-beta for checking this :D**

**Disclaimer: I only own my twisted imagination :P**

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><p><strong>Blackout<strong>

**7**

Lisbon woke up at the sound of someone knocking at the door. She opened a sleepy eye and found herself facing a man's chest. Arms were tightly wrapped around her waist, and a chin was resting on the top of her head. She immediately snuggled closer to the young man and shut her lids again; he was warm and comfy, and she wanted to revel in this feeling as long as she could. Whoever was disturbing one of the rare mornings she could sleepover at Patrick's place better be gone now…

The knocking got louder.

This time, the young man groaned in disapproval and slowly woke up in turn. He pulled back his head and sleepy blue-green eyes found her emerald ones.

"Who's the son of a bitch daring to wake me up?" he grunted sleepily, but not able to restrain a smile. "I was having such a good dream…"

"Does that stupid grin mean I was in it?" Lisbon asked teasingly, leaning forward to brush his lips.

His warm embrace tightened as he pushed her on her back to deepen the initiated kiss. Her fingers slid over his bare back, up and down, feeling the deep trails she had left on him during a previous lovemaking.

"And I haven't met any of your friends, Patrick. How do you expect me to know who…" Lisbon stopped talking, barely restraining a deep sigh when he lowered his mouth on her neck. "Shouldn't you answ…"

"Don't give a damn" the young man grunted and bit her shoulder, causing his lover to moan in content. "And I have more urgent matters to… take care of right now" he added with a wolfish grin, rubbing his already hardening lenght against her thigh.

The young woman arched against him, humming in anticipation. His hands roamed over her upper body, his lips devoured her collarbone and chest. Her fingernails scratched his nipples and she bucked her hips against his. The approving hiss echoing in her ear made her shiver in delight. Since Patrick had _dragged_ her to this world of pleasure, he had been perfectly willing to perfect her… education; and so far, bless the guy who had invented the pill, she had been an excellent student.

Since they had met again they had kept in contact. He would pick her up after he finished his shift at work and bring her to his apartment for a few hours, or they'd get together in a motel outside town. A few rarer times, she would stay at his place for the night, not wanting him to walk inside her house yet. They were just meeting up for wild, passionate sex, nothing else. Things were clear from the beginning of their deal, even if they came to build some weird form of friendship. Nothing else yet, she thought with a hint of regret.

As she lifted her arms to help him get rid of her night jersey, she remembered the moment they agreed to see each other more regularly. They were half-lying half-sitting naked in the backseat of his car, their body heat for only source of warmth, and the rain for background. After the great moments they had spent the previous hour, Patrick had admitted first he wanted to see her again. And there they were.

"What are you thinking of?" he asked, parting her bare legs and settling between them, his body making contact with hers already. The young woman grinned wickedly and cupped his face with both hands, pulling him closer to her.

"About the bloody harm I will do to you if you don't take me right now." His eyes shined with mischievousness.

"Then I shall not keep my lady waiting" he replied playfully, before kissing her fully and easing his way inside her.

**-B-**

"Seriously, what were you thinking of?"

They were both up now, sitting in his kitchen. While Patrick was dressed in a sweatpants and T-shirt, Lisbon was only wearing a pair of sport shorts and his shirt, half-buttoned. Overnights at his place often ended by a lazy oversleep, and another few rounds before she got back home. Sometimes, the young woman even wondered why they bothered to put clothes on at all. It wasn't like he would keep them intact when they started making out. Teresa had learned within those three months that when he became impatient –which was most of the time- he would tear up whatever she was wearing. Not that she complained; plus the clothes were his or his sister's after all.

She picked up her bowl and cereals and sat at the table. Patrick joined her soon after, holding his plate of pancakes and fried bread. His eyes were on her, determinedly set to discover whatever she had in mind. Lisbon smiled in amusement before dropping the cereals in the bowl.

"Nothing important, I swear" she said gently.

"A problem? Is someone bothering you?"

"No, no, nothing as such. Just…" she started, lifting her head to cross his gaze and deciding to take his focus somewhere unexpected: "I know I'm kinda late in this, but I never asked for your last name."

Patrick's jaw dropped in surprise, and Lisbon couldn't help the huff of pride within. For once, she had caught him off guard.

"Now that you mention it…" he started. "Well I suppose I didn't say it because I'm a bit ashamed of it. It's 'Jane'. Write it like the girl."

"Patrick Jane" she spoke out loud. The man nodded, smiling awkwardly. "I think it suits you. You do have effeminate reflexes sometimes" she added on a teasing tone.

The stunned and undignified expression on his face was priceless.

"_Effeminate_? Are you kidding me?"

"You do take some time in the shower, choose your clothes carefully, and spend lots of time in front of the mirror… you just need the perfect make up box, I'm sure you'd put blush on…"

"My, my, aren't you a bit of a sexist my dear?" Patrick replied with a pout. "Just please put my mind at ease, you really don't think I'm girly while we're in the middle of lovemaking, do you? Or I will definitively need to check my techniques."

Despite three months of sleeping with Patrick Jane, and she was still not immune to his innuendos. Especially when she _knew_ what he was capable of.

"Patrick…" she started, although she had no idea what she would say.

"I think we should date" he suddenly said, tilting his head on the side.

Lisbon almost dropped her mug and stared at him in disbelief. Sometimes, she would never catch the man's train of thoughts.

"Excuse me?"

"We've been seeing each other for a while, right?"

"If you mean meeting for bedroom sports few times a week then yeah, we have" she replied, eyeing him cautiously. His eyes twinkled before she added: "But didn't you say sex was the only thing in your mind when I was around?"

"Mostly, yeah; but can't really blame me, you're good in bed" he admitted with no shame, making her turn scarlet within seconds. "It doesn't mean I don't want to get to know you. I mean, you're smart, witty and you've got enough backbone to face me. I know I care for you and deep inside you want more."

Another thing she had a hard time to get used to was his bluntness. Whenever he had something to tell her, he would spill it nonchalantly. While he made efforts concerning sensible subjects, like family problems, it irked her and amused her at the same time to see that he would get straight to the point. She narrowed her eyes and was about to shot back something about him not knowing everything about her –which was wrong since no one had ever figured her out in so little time before and deep inside it frightened her a little because it didn't work the other way round; that she was perfectly content with their situation –although he would immediately sense that was also a lie; and that he could go fuck himself –which would be as good as sending him an open invitation to pin her on the table; when the knock on the door came back, louder this time.

Jane threw her a pointed glance, silently telling her they would be speaking about this soon enough, and left the table to answer. Lisbon glanced at her bowl and bit her lower lip.

Before meeting Patrick, she valued a little too much the meaning of giving herself. In her eyes, it meant a special commitment and reciprocated feelings, like love and trust. She hadn't expected that this "innocent" aspect of her life would cost her relationship with Walter, but since that event, her previous… beliefs had vanished. Now, three months after the fateful night, Lisbon would lie down or pin the man on the bed without second thoughts. Although one thing hadn't changed; while the intensity of their intercourses made her only crave for more, Lisbon knew she couldn't do it with anyone else. Patrick was the first guy she had been this far with, and up till now the only one she would surrender to, physically at least, but she had never thought he would blatantly offer a… somewhat _real_ relationship. Of course she longed for something more 'sex-less' at times, but never imagined he'd go along with that thought. As long as he looked at her the way he did, the few moments they had were enough.

She plunged her spoon in the bowl and took a full bite of cereals. Winced. Great; while she was thinking, the cherrios had enough lost their charm and were melting like marshmallow in her mouth.

"Uh… Teresa?" Patrick's voice in the corridor made her lift her head in mind curiosity. "We have guests. You should dress u-"

He hadn't even finished his sentence that hurried footsteps echoed in the apartment and suddenly, a red-haired young woman, accompanied with a girl with dyed blond hair and a tall dark-haired young man appeared in the doorframe. Lisbon yelped in surprise, jumped off her seat and caught the sides of Jane's shirt to hide her chest. The three newcomers were staring at her as if she was some weird rarity.

"_You_ are Teresa?" the redhead asked in disbelief, and Lisbon thought she recognised the one who had posed willingly half-naked for Patrick –Grace was her name, right? "You really exist?"

The dark-haired young woman frowned in puzzlement. What did she mean? The blond girl stepped forwards and cleared her throat:

"Hi, my name's Sophie Miller" she introduced herself with a tight smile. "This is Grace Van Pelt, and Wayne Rigsby."

"Teresa Lisbon" the dark-haired replied on a tone that did not betray her nervousness. The three faces lightened as Patrick entered the kitchen in turn and stood slightly ahead of his lover, creating a human shield between her and his friends.

"Sorry about this" he muttered to Lisbon. "We weren't supposed to meet before this afternoon."

"We all thought you were a chimera Patty made up to keep Kris away" Grace spoke up with a smirk, ignoring Jane's disapproving stare.

"If you're busy" the tall man started, and Lisbon remembered he was the redhead's boyfriend, according to the pictures. "We'll come back lat-"

"No need to" the dark-haired young woman cut immediately. "I was leaving anyway. Where did you put my clothes?" she added, glancing at her lover.

"Bedroom" he replied, trying hard to ignore the smirks of his friends. "I… I'll show you."

He hurried past her and headed to the bedroom, hearing her follow suit. Once the door was safely closed, Patrick couldn't help the nervous laugh and was soon followed by his lover.

"I'm sorry about this" he repeated as she tried to catch her breath before heading towards her pile of clothes.

"Its okay" Lisbon replied, shrugging. "You also have a life, it's understandable. Though I admit I would have liked to meet your friends in different circumstances."

She changed in front of him, knowing his longing gaze followed her every move. The young woman had barely slipped her top on that he pushed her against the wall and kissed her passionately. Lisbon's hands automatically fled to his curly hair and pulled him closer. His teeth bit her lower lip, pressuring her to open her mouth for him. When his teasing tongue came in backup, she immediately surrendered. His hands slid over her sides and waist, stopped over her hips to bring her flat against him. Her mind was slowly emptying itself of every single rational thought, but the young woman couldn't care less. All that mattered was the warmth of his body, the hardening length pressed against her stomach… Damn, would she ever grow out of her libido?

"Too bad they're here" he muttered against her lips when he pulled back. Lisbon chuckled and rested her forehead against his:

"Well I guess I'll have to come back anyway."

The soft glint and tender smile on his face made her heart melt in some way she hadn't… experienced before. He kissed the corner of her mouth this time, gently.

"Are you free this Friday?" he asked then, nuzzling her neck. "I'd like to take you out for dinner."

Lisbon wanted to decline. She really wanted to. It had been a while since she hadn't got an evening for herself, between her brothers and Patrick, and since their father was trying to get more involved in their lives and started to ask questions about their welfare, she wanted to take advantage of it. But when he pressed his body against hers, caging her against the wall, lifted the edge of the skirt she was wearing that day and rubbed exactly on the right place, she could hardly resist him. That was all him, she thought, seducing her into agreeing to something. That jackass would be capable of leaving her there, longing, if she refused.

"C'mon Teresa" Patrick added with a slight smirk, unzipping his pants and pressing further against her warmth, making her whimper. "Say yes and I'll end this."

Her nails were already digging in his sides, her eyes lost in his, her breath erratic and the delightful burning in her stomach worsening. Also thanks to the huskiness of his voice, she knew he was on edge too.

"Wha- what if I don't –don't want to?"

It was just a matter of time, they both knew it. Neither was capable of resisting the attraction between them. Lisbon would surrender eventually; she just wanted to hold on to that feeling a little longer; and given how Patrick's hands were shaking, so was he.

"Stop playing Tessa" Oh she loved the way he hissed her nickname in her ear. "Just say 'yes'."

If anyone had told her four months ago that she would one day throw self-control out the window and let a man torture her using talented hands, Lisbon would have laughed hard. Ignoring his plea, she wrapped his hip with her leg and pulled him even closer. Her hands started doing their job, teasing him in the right places. Perhaps he had an iron control over her body when he wanted, but it didn't mean she couldn't pull a few tricks of her own either.

"I will answer once you're done with me" she hissed huskily in his ear, fingernails plunging in the curve of his neck. The young woman knew he wanted to keep the advantage. But the trembling of his lips, the wideness of his pupils and the iron grip of his hands over her waist told her she was leading here. One swift move and he would be inside her. It would only take one swift move; if only he just gave in…

"You win" he grunted, burying his face in her neck and, with a hand under her knee, lifted her leg higher around his waist. Lisbon clang to his shoulders and shut her eyes, ready for what was about to come.

**-B-**

In the kitchen, Grace, Wayne and Sophie were sitting at the kitchen table, each holding a glass. When Lisbon and Patrick had left, they figured the housemaster wouldn't mind if they helped themselves with a drink. The two girls were chatting, while Rigsby cautiously standing out of their conversation.

"I can't believe she's actually real" the redhead said, shaking her head. "All this time he had really been seeing her. Three months right?"

"His longest relationship since uh… Nancy? I think it was a year or so."

"It's kinda surprising, especially given the way they met."

"Didn't he say they were supposed to be a one-night fling?"

"Well given the fact he hasn't dumped her yet, I think he's in for a long run. I mean, he'd never keep seeing a girl he didn't li-"

The sound of something hitting a wall, followed by a moan, echoed in the kitchen room. It silenced them all efficiently and they all stared at the corridor where the lovers had disappeared.

"He said her clothes were in his bedroom right?" Sophie asked slowly. Grace and Wayne nodded. Another 'thump' and suspicious noises resonated again.

"But doesn't Patrick's mattress creak? I mean, last time I slept there, if I moved a finger I would wake up everyone."

Wayne frowned.

"You slept at his place?"

"Last year" Grace sighed, shrugging. "We went to a party, his apartment was close, and I didn't want to drive home. It's no big deal."

"You slept at the place of that womanizer?"

"I swear, nothing happened" the redhead added with a glare. "Ask Kristina if you don't believe… no, ask Cho, if you must. Kris would play her psychic crap again and she wasn't even there. Cho was though. He stayed the night too."

Rigsby nodded reluctantly. The noises increased in volume, and the three clearly recognized the nature of the sound. Sophie swallowed hard. Grace's jaw fell. Wayne seemed torn between admiration and disgust.

"He's really doing her with us nearby?" he muttered in disbelief.

"We should leave" his girlfriend declared. "I don't want mental pictures when they get out."

"I already have them in my head" Sophie snorted, shaking her head. "Anyone's up to watch TV while they're enjoying themselves?"

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><p><strong>Drama will begin next chapter…starting with a glimpse of Bosco :P<strong>

**Hope you enjoyed reading this :D (let me know ?) and next update _should_ be update in the following week. **

**Thank you for reading so far! :D**


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks to everyone for their reviews :D **

**Jazz: **Aw thank you :3 (and gladly accepts the virtual bribery :P) Hope you'll enjoy this one too :3

**Eli: **Will do :3 and glad you like it x3

**No Account: **Here's your update xD

**Disclaimer: I only own my twisted imagination :P**

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><p><strong>Blackout<strong>

**8**

The lights were flashing on the dance floor and the rock music of the band on stage was turning them deaf. As she arched against her lover's back, Lisbon couldn't believe her luck. They had gone to the nightclub they had met for their first date, on the two…_romantic_ arguments Patrick had given her.

For one, he wanted a new start; meaning act like they had just met and not rush into bed anymore, take things a bit slower. She nearly snorted at that one, since she perfectly knew that none of them would be able to behave more than half an hour in closed quarters. For two, that night, her favourite band was downtown and he had tickets. That last piece of news made her squeal and hug him very tight.

He was supposed to pick her out at home at a time her father was out, and even though she had tried to avoid the confrontation between him and her brothers…it still happened. The young woman _should_ have known her brothers weren't so easily fooled when she told them a _male_ friend was coming, especially with the twins hitting fifteen. Thomas and James had been particularly adamant on meeting Jane, and even though her boyfriend had won Chris over right away with a magic trick, the two elders hadn't been convinced. If she hadn't intervened, the young woman was sure they would have pressured him into bringing her back at 10pm tops.

Wandering hands ran over her abdomen, up to under her breasts, and a face nuzzled her neck from behind. Lisbon shut her eyes and gave up a moan, inaudible in the loud environment. His hips bucked hers, teeth bit her neck, and she shivered uncontrollably, completely surrendering to his touch. He knew how to play her body too well now; it felt impossible –if only for her- to start again and take things slower. She would miss him too much.

The musicians ended their song and thanked their public. Now was the short break before they returned on stage for the second part of the show. Figuring they had more than enough time, Lisbon pulled him out of the club and headed to a dark alley behind the building. Jane's eyes were flashing, as if knowing what she had in mind. He let her pin him against the wall and followed her lead when she kissed him fervently.

"You can't help seducing me everywhere, can you?" she said against his lips, rubbing her hips sensually against his. Jane opened his mouth, but she shushed him by kissing him again. His hands immediately went over her thighs to press her against him and she felt how much he wanted her right now. Perhaps as much as she did.

"Take me" she whispered, her hands unzipping his pants. "Now."

Good thing she had decided to wear a skirt, Lisbon thought as she watched his eyes darkening as his pupils dilated widely. He switched their positions, pinned her against the wall in turn and his hands were already obediently slipping under her skirt, pushing aside her panties and settling in the right position. She held his shoulders tight, forehead touching his. His breath was warm and shallow and the expression on his face…Lisbon gasped as he started to push into her, but the grin did not fade. She was the temptress tonight, and she _loved_ every _second_ of it.

"Hey you two! The wall is not a freaking love hotel!"

Both froze in the motion, staring at each other. At the end of a corridor, a man was waving at them from afar to move away. Oh dear, Lisbon thought; that was so embarrassing…The reluctantly parted, she straightened her skirt and Jane zipped up his trousers. When their gaze crossed, they couldn't help but bust out of nervous laughing.

"That was awkward" Patrick muttered, patting the back of his head. Lisbon grinned and leant against him when he slipped his arm around her waist and added, kissing her temple: "So much for trying to take things slow."

"I don't give a damn" the young woman replied, nuzzling his neck. "We've gone too far to start anew. You should have known I wouldn't let you do whatever you want."

Jane grinned and threw her a very lecherous expression, promising her a lot when the concert was over. They headed back in the nightclub and went to the bar for a drink. The break was supposed to last about twenty minutes, but when it hit thirty, Lisbon started to get impatient. The stage was still empty and no-one had announced the return of the band.

"What's going on?" they heard a girl ask to a friend.

Patrick suddenly pulled out a cell phone from his pocket and his face turned into a grimace when he recognized the caller's ID. The young woman knew immediately it was work-related.

"Jane" he greeted his caller. "What? But boss, I said I took the evening off! No. No I said…" His expression changed into indignation. "That was a low blow, sir." He grumbled, shaking his head. "All right. Where is the…" he opened his eyes wide in surprise. "You're kidding sir? I'm right there."

That caught the young woman's attention and she eyed him attentively. He turned silent, listening carefully to what the man on the line had to say, before a last few words of goodbye and hanging up. When he turned to face her, she knew the date had been shortened.

"I'm sorry Teresa" he muttered. "Our evening's a bit…ruined."

She smiled at his disappointed tone and cupped his cheek in a hand before leaning forwards to kiss him.

"T's okay Patrick. I'm a big girl. What are you called for?"

He shifted uncomfortably on his seat. The young woman raised a brow; her brothers would do that when they had something to hide.

"I…I kinda lied about my job." Bingo. "Rather I didn't tell you everything" he added quickly, not wanting to deal with an anger burst right away. "I work for that sadist in the casino as a card dealer, but I'm also part-time consultant on some…police matters." At her stunned face, he leant in and whispered in her ear: "There was a murder behind the scenes. The concert will be officially canceled any minute now."

Lisbon's first reaction was to open her mouth wide.

"Who was it? It's not someone from the band right? Aymeric is fine, right? And Roberson too? Please tell me it wasn't Nora or Rudy…"

Jane couldn't help but chuckle in amusement, and told her a member of the staff, the hairdresser, was discovered in the toilets. He found cute the relief and guiltiness over her face, when she realised her favourite band was spared from the crime.

"None of them are guilty, right?" she asked in a small voice.

"I'll see that when I meet them dear." He went on, barely holding back a loud laugh. "Why don't you stay here for the moment being, and I'll call you when I'm done?"

"Can't I come with you?"

She gave him the puppy eyes. Patrick swallowed uneasily. One of the reasons he hadn't mentioned his second job was because he knew Lisbon wanted to become a cop. At some point, he suspected she would try to bribe him into bringing her at some crime scene…The young man perfectly knew why she made _that_ look; he could never say 'no' to that freaking adorable face.

"Uh…if you want; but you stay still and don't bother the guys at work, okay?"

The momentary victory faded and Lisbon rolled her eyes.

"Seriously Patrick, I'm not that stupid."

"I know you aren't" he replied with a grin. "Listen, I just gotta warn you. The big boss is rather cool, but in the team I work with sometimes, there's a guy who can't stand me –and honestly, I can't stand him either. So if he shows up and bothers you, don't pay attention. Sometimes he can be decent, but most of the time he's just a mindless jerk. C'mon, let's go before it's impossible to move through the crowd."

The young woman followed him, extremely excited. She couldn't wait to see a crime scene for real, even though she was fairly certain her stomach wouldn't agree with her if she met the recently deceased. How many times had she head Bosco mentioning a rookie puking at a crime scene because of his first encounter with a corpse?

They reached a place near the stages, where people obviously not belonging to the show were rushing around. Among them, a few cops dressed in uniform. Close to the police barrier, Jane checked for his consultant ID and flashed it to the vigil. The man must have recognised him though, since he stepped aside even before the blonde showed his badge.

"She's with me" Jane added, nodding towards Lisbon. The tall man grinned while stepping aside.

"Girlfriend?" He asked, and when the young man nodded, the cop added: "Nice catch Jane. I'm sure she'll be no bother down there; especially with Steiner."

Lisbon glared at the man while the blond man's face lightened with a grin:

"No way, that old perv is here too? Damn, I should have met the guys first, just to trick him again."

The vigil smiled amusingly:

"Don't be too hard on the man. He's getting old for your jokes you know."

"Meh, he's begging for it each time I see him."

The banter ended here and they ducked under the yellow tape. If Lisbon hadn't been annoyed by the vigil's earlier comment, she would have appreciated the fact she was walking behind the scenes of a well-known nightclub.

"Thank you so much for defending me" the young woman grumbled, glaring at him. Patrick shrugged.

"Meh, it wasn't mean. Karl is just joking."

"You're afraid I'm going to hit you if you speak in my favour? Or that you'll lose your manly pride?"

Jane turned towards her with raised brows.

"You are way too independent to let anyone speak for yourself. But if it makes you feel better, I will intervene to defend my stunning girlfriend against wicked villains next time" he added with a grin. Lisbon rolled her eyes.

"Don't go all compliments with me. You know it won't work."

"A guy can try" he replied nonchalantly, and she was tempted to smack the back of his head when he suddenly declared: "Here we are."

They were still in a narrow corridor, but the small space was overcrowded. In a corner, a dozen of people were looking around, some grieving, some sobbing and others tensed. A handful guys in dark blue uniform were looking around, taking imprints and samples of stuff. She wasn't expecting a huge fuss for a crime scene –and it wasn't as impressive as she first thought, but the solemn atmosphere still managed to give her the chills. Perhaps it wasn't such a good idea to come after all.

"Hopefully I won't be long" Patrick muttered, glancing at the bunch of witnesses in the corner. "I feel a lot of tension over there. The murderer might be among them. Stay here okay?" he added when he spotted a medium-height man in his fifties waving at him. He left without waiting for an answer.

The young woman had no choice but to stand aside and watch the coroners do their jobs. Although this was not exactly what she was hoping to see, it was still a good start. People were running around, speaking in technical terms she didn't understand and checking every corner of the room. No-one really paid attention to her, focused on their work. But then, Lisbon realized she _was_ a distraction for others. Some cops were wondering what she was doing there; and one even made a move in her direction, but he was stopped by a coroner and, after a few words, he walked away. At first, it intrigued Lisbon that no-one would ask her to step aside. But then, she heard the name of Patrick Jane followed by a few curious glances, and understood. For some reason, they would only leave her alone because she came with him.

The young woman vaguely wondered if he wasn't a little feared around the field. At his other job –card-dealing- his colleagues appeared to be extremely wary of him. She had met a few of them by chance –a woman named Alexandra Yee and his boss, Matt Etienne or something…And the slight apprehension in both eyes spoke volumes.

"Teresa?"

Her attention was immediately brought back to reality. She spotted a bald man walking straight on her and ignoring the silent signals his colleagues were sending him. Great, she thought with annoyance, Bosco _had_ to be here too. Sure, he was an agent going on the field, but did he really need to be called on this case in particular? She vaguely wondered if _he_ was the mindless jerk Patrick was mentioning before, and smiled tightly at his approach.

"Hey Sam. What are you doing here?"

The question was certainly the dumbest she could have asked, but she didn't feel like trying to have a decent conversation. He had work to do after all and the last thing she wanted to do was to bother him.

"I should be asking this question" he retorted annoyingly. "This is no place for civilians. You should go back home."

"I'm waiting for someone" Lisbon replied coolly. "Don't worry, I'm not here to interfere."

"Not the point" the bald man growled. "You shouldn't even _be_ here; your presence is causing difficulties for people who are trying to work."

The young woman narrowed her eyes. Behind him a few men were glancing at each other with a frown. She was certain _they_ hadn't even noticed her existence until now.

"The only one bothered right now seems to be _you_, Sam" she replied dryly. "I believe you have an investigation to lead, so why don't you do your job properly?"

Bosco stared at her in disbelief; shocked she would ever speak back to him.

"Don't tell me you have a crush on my girlfriend, Sammy. That would be very embarrassing if rumors start spreading around…and I doubt your wife will be extremely pleased."

The man turned on his heels and spotted the younger one wearing an amused smile. Fake-amused, Lisbon noted immediately; if looks could burn, Bosco would be nothing more but a pile of ashes right now. The cop narrowed his eyes before barking:

"I knew it! You were the one who raped Teresa that night!"

Lisbon's jaw dropped and Patrick stared at him in puzzlement. All coroners and other officers stopped their job and glanced at them.

"Rape?" he repeated in disbelief before turning towards the younger woman. "You told him I _raped_ you?"

"Of course not!" she protested immediately, shaking her head. "I -"

Bosco didn't let her finish.

"You took advantage of an innocent girl" he hissed angrily. "You lured her to your place and used her while she was upset. I always knew you were just scum."

The only answer he got was the disbelieved stares from his colleagues and a shrug from Jane, who didn't seem much phased by his accusations.

"You're way above your head Sammy" the blond man replied coolly before turning his attention back to Lisbon. "We're leaving anyway. Case's closed, the guy just cracked at a miserable mind game. Minelli doesn't need me anymore. You're coming?"

The young woman didn't wait a second more and stood up to join him. She slipped her hand in Jane's, threw a glare at Bosco for good measure, and followed him out the door.

**-B-**

When they arrived at his apartment that night, they didn't tear each other's clothes. They didn't utter a word or really spoke, but undressed and went to bed directly. Lisbon had warned her brothers that she would sleepover and in her mind, there were no need to change her schedule, or they would think he had dumped her. The young woman lay on her side, glancing at her lover. Patrick was facing the ceiling, eyes wide open and forehead wrinkled, sign he was thinking.

"Are you mad?" she asked quietly.

His facial expression didn't move and he kept staring. A few minutes ticked, and when she thought he would not answer…

"Not at you, not really" he eventually replied, rolling on his side to face her. "But you should still be careful around people like him. You do know he has a thing for you, right?"

Despite the relief, Lisbon did not specially want to mention Bosco. But she still reluctantly nodded.

"He was the only friend I had for a long time" she added quietly. "Well, the only close person I could call a friend. Cindy or Walter or the others weren't really... I mean I hang out with them, but that was all. Bosco will always be there if I ask for his help. I know he likes me in a twisted way, but back then I really wanted to talk to somebody."

His fingers brushed her nose before sliding along her cheek. The young woman leant into his palm. The touch wasn't unsatisfying, but right now, she'd rather have a full physical contact. Not because of a carnal desire; but rather to seek reassurance. When he held her tight against him, she felt safe. As if reading her mind, Jane opened his arms and brought them around her waist. Her head found automatically its place under his chin and her hands rested over his chest. Now, that was better.

"You don't need to go back to him anymore." He eventually said. "You know I'm here, right?"

Lisbon smiled against his chest and nodded. The soft thumping of his heart relaxed her within seconds. His large hands rubbed her back up and down, but not in _that_ way. First night without them initiating something more in _his_ bed, the young woman thought with a smile. Perhaps they held their chances as a real couple after all.

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><p><strong>So, liked it or not? ^^"<strong>

**The real drama starts next chapter...**

**Thank you for reading so far :D **


	9. Chapter 9

**Thanks to every reviewers :) -still can't believe it went over 100 (unless I'm mistaking, Totorsg, you're the 100th :D); you people are awesome xD !  
><strong>

**NoAccount: **and Bosco will come back for another act...glad you liked the last chapter and hope you'll enjoy this one as well ^^ Thanks for the review :D

**Shuvee:** Hee I hope I'll keep your interest till the end then ^^. Thanks for the review :D

**Camille: **j'essaye toujours d'inclure d'autres personnages des autres saison ^^"; et j'aime bien Sophie (un peu moins Kristina par contre :P) Contente que les chapitres t'aient plu :3 j'espere que tu aimeras jusqu'au bout x3 Merci pour le review :D

**Sbrt: **hee maybe not, but it was still fun to write xD. Bosco is definitively jealous, and for Jane's past...well you'll have a snapshot in this chapter :) Thanks for the review :D

**And thanks to my half-beta for checking this :D **

**Disclaimer: I only own my twisted imagination :P**

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><p><strong>Blackout<strong>

**9**

Lisbon was brought back among the living by a gentle kiss on the temple. She still grumbled in protest and turned her back to the rude responsible for her awakening. A chuckle and another kiss on the top of her ear this time made her snuggle under the covers.

"Hey sleepyhead" the husky whisper of Patrick tickled her skin. "I'll be out for a few. Need to get some groceries."

"'K" the young woman muttered, not opening her eyes.

"Promise, I'll wake you up _properly_ when I'm back."

Despite the numbness of her mind, Lisbon couldn't help but smile at the last sentence. _That_ was something she was looking forward to.

"'Kay."

He kissed her again –and she could feel his grin against her temple- before leaving and closing the door as quietly as possible. Lisbon snuggled more in the warmth of the bed, reeled in his scent and sighed. While she knew Patrick wouldn't be back before at least twenty minutes, she still wanted to take advantage of the softness of the mattress and the sheets. Today, she decided, would be another step in their relationship. If her brothers knew what was good for them, they wouldn't grimace if Jane came for lunch and hopefully, they would get to know each other better around a meal...

The front door bell rang. Lisbon groaned and desperately tried to hide her face under the pillow. If she ignored it long enough… The bell rang again, more loudly this time. Now, who was the bothersome fellow knocking at the door?

Jane's friends had freaked out last time they had been there. While the moment had been extremely hot, Lisbon would always remember the shame, facing their knowing, and perhaps a bit awkward, smirks. They had still been eager to get more acquainted with the one who had managed to make their womanizer settle for a while. But then, they knew that when she stayed overnight, they were no longer welcome in the morning.

A third insisting knock made her understand the newcomer had no intention to leave before being answered, hence they knew someone was there. She hastily put on one of Patrick's jerseys and reluctantly stepped out of bed. Once near the door, Lisbon shouted:

"Coming, coming!"

If this was indeed one of her lover's idiotic friends, she would give a straight punch to the bothersome fellow. Much to her dismay, a medium-height, fair-haired woman she had never seen before stood in the corridor. She had big blue eyes and an elegant figure and above all, seemed bewildered to see her there.

"Is this Patrick Jane's apartment?" she asked immediately in disbelief. Lisbon blinked the remaining sleepiness from her eyes and nodded. The woman was oddly familiar. "What are you doing here then?"

"Perhaps I should be asking" the dark-haired replied, narrowing her eyes. "What are you doing at seven am knocking at this door?"

"Visiting Patrick, young lady, obviously." The woman didn't seem very pleased by her behavior. "May I come in?"

"What is it for?" Lisbon asked suspiciously. The newcomer rolled her eyes, and it hit the dark-haired. She had seen her before. That woman was…

"For God's sake, I'm Patrick's sister!"

Angela Ruskin. Lisbon had the urge to smack her head. The pictures were old, but the woman was easily recognizable… She reluctantly stepped aside and let the newcomer enter, closed the door behind and locked it carefully.

"Anyway, who are you?" Angela asked, putting her bag back on the ground. Lisbon rolled her eyes in disbelief. As if she answering in a man's shirt at her brother's house while he was absent was not an obvious answer.

"His girlfriend" she eventually replied. Much to her surprise, the woman seemed slightly taken aback.

"Really? For how long?"

The dark-haired wondered if she should answer four months (their first night together), one week (their first real date) or not answer at all.

"Long enough" she finally said, shrugging. "Patrick's out for groceries. He should be back soon."

Angela nodded and made herself comfortable in the living room. While Lisbon knew this was Jane's sister, she didn't like the way the woman looked around and scanned the furniture like she owned the place. The dark-haired desperately wanted to go to the kitchen and make some coffee, but at the same time, she didn't want to let the newcomer touch anything belonging to Patrick. It sounded odd, how protective she had become over her lover's apartment. Maybe because she felt that, somehow, she had become the mistress of the place.

"Sorry, I have to ask, but do you happen to know Mary and Peter Lisbon?"

Lisbon froze in her tracks and glanced at her. Angela was now sitting on the couch and staring at her, head tilted on the side.

"Why?"

"You look a lot like a woman I use to know in Chicago. We were neighbors for some time, but that was… something like ten years ago?"

Oh, right. Now Lisbon knew why the woman had appeared familiar when she had spotted her picture on the board.

"My name's Teresa Lisbon" she eventually said.

Angela's face fell in disbelief.

"Really? Wow, that's some coincidence! Last time I saw you, you were about, what, eight years old I think?" At the younger woman's lack of reaction, Angela shrugged. "Well it doesn't surprise me you forgot about us. You did get into a big accident because of Danny that year… Do you remember that?"

Lisbon moved slower. The accident, when she was eight… she didn't really recall what happened. The only thing she knew was that she had landed in the hospital for a great deal of time. Doctors said it had been a miracle she was still standing up.

"No, I don't" she replied quietly. The newcomer's face fell a little.

"Sorry if I brought back bad memories, but it's been so long. How is the rest of the family? Are the twins all right? And your parents?"

"I don't want to talk about it" Lisbon snapped, glaring at her. It wasn't exactly the woman's fault, after all she certainly didn't know about her current situation. Angela bit her lower lip.

"Sorry. I suppose you are in bad terms with them… Given what Patrick did; it doesn't surprise me if they don't approve your boyfriend. I am actually surprised you accept him in spite of what he's done."

The dark-haired paused and raised a brow at her.

"What do you mean?"

"Patrick has a criminal record, hasn't he told you?" At her blank face, Angela went on; and Lisbon would always remember how bright the malicious glint in her eyes was: "He killed a man seven years ago."

**-B- The next day –B- **

Bosco was pissed. Extremely angry. And everyone knew why. Everyone knew the reason of his frustration was held in one person. Patrick Jane. When the young man had first integrated the unit as a consultant, they had all thought it wasn't going to last. Minelli had told them after all that the boy's position was temporary; his stay would not exceed a few weeks. But at the time, no-one expected him to be such a sharp and observant guy. The rate of solved crimes had increased at the cost of a few complain files, but no-one could deny the young man definitively helped in the investigations; even Bosco had reluctantly recognized his usefulness.

But Jane's efficiency was currently the last thing on the cop's mind. His relationship with a certain brunette made him want to take back every single compliment he had given the younger man since the beginning of their collaboration. Lisbon, that day, had clearly told him she and a guy named Patrick had had… intimate intercourse while she was completely wasted. His anger had risen when he realized the young woman had no intention of bringing in court the said guy and wanted to see him again in friendly terms.

If more, he felt completely betrayed.

And when he grasped that the Patrick he worked with and Lisbon's lover were the same, he thought he had lost his mind. For sure, his sweet, innocent little Teresa _couldn't_ have fallen for such a loser! He had mentioned it to Mandy once home and she didn't react like he wanted either. His wife was happy for the younger woman. Happy, and not scandalized. He had gone through the evening without addressing a word to her and left early the next morning to avoid her.

Once at work, Minelli had called him over a new case, and told him Jane would be a bit late, for he had worked overnight at his second job. It didn't matter though, since they needed to take the plane to the crime scene and still had a little bit of time ahead. When the consultant arrived though, his demeanor caught everyone off-guard.

Jane usually showed up with a huge smile, happily chatting with a few women on the way, gathering gossips and all sorts of information. Then, he would wander around the couch before lying down there and stare at a stain on the ceiling he nicknamed Elvis. Today, he barely noticed his female fans, absentmindedly walked to his favorite piece of furniture, lay down and kept his eyes open. Just like every time he was deep in thoughts.

"Don't you think he looks a little depressed?" Hicks asked quietly after a quick glance at Jane. "He's awfully quiet today."

His two partners, Martinez and Rebecca, nodded in agreement. Bosco just snorted in disbelief. While he knew his team found the blond entertaining, he didn't expect them to care for him. As far as _he_ was concerned, Jane was just an arrogant nosy prissy brat who had a great damn sense of observation. He hoped deep inside that the reason of the blonde's current mood was Teresa. If the young woman had suddenly come to her senses and dumped him, then he couldn't be happier.

Jane sighed deeply and closed his eyes. The previous day, he had left his apartment whistling cheerfully, already thinking about the wicked things he would do to his girlfriend once he got back. And when he eventually got back… she was gone. To his surprise, Angela had been standing in the living room, waiting for him while sipping a cup of tea.

"_Where is Teresa?" he asked slowly, putting the bags down. The woman raised a brow and shrugged._

"_How should I know? She's your girlfriend my dear. Although, I doubt you will see her any time soon. Or at all. I told her about your fabulous… past." _

_Dread invaded his mind. Angela couldn't have done it, could she? He knew she had been angry at him, but she wouldn't… The smirk growing over her face told him all he needed to know._

"_We're even now Patrick" she said, putting her cup up on the coffee table. "You killed my fiancé; I chased your girlfriend away. Maybe now you'll know what it feels to lose someone you love." She added on a bitter tone. _

"Hey Patrick, is something going on?"

The blond man blinked and stared in surprise at his colleague. Lost in his thoughts, he hadn't heard the Latino approaching.

"Oh, hi Hicks. Sorry, you were saying?"

The older man shifted uneasily on his feet, clearly worried.

"You don't look so good" he said. "Perhaps you should take a day off?"

Jane shook his head.

"Nah, I'd rather be at work. Keep my mind busy, y'know."

Hicks knew better than to push further; so he just told him they were to leave to the airport soon. Jane nodded in acknowledgment and stared at Elvis again. She hadn't answered his calls or replied to his texts. While he knew he should have expected it, her reaction still hurt. What he had done back then… he wasn't exactly proud of it, but he didn't regret it either. He had done it to protect Angela, and if he had to repeat the action, the young man would not hesitate. He just… really hoped Teresa would talk to him, at least to make her hear his part of the story. He straightened on the couch, took out his phone and sent her a new text, signaling his departure. Hopefully, he thought as he pressed the sent button, she would agree to see him when he came back.

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><p><strong>I have the flu since this morning. Hate it. please brighten my day by leaving a little (or long) review :3? <strong>

**Thank you for reading so far :D**


	10. Chapter 10

**I'm getting fonder and fonder of OST, whether they come from movies or shows. Just felt like sharing :p. **

**And please don't be mad for the lack of updates for the other stories...my muse went on strike and in spite of tough negotiations, had refused to come back yet -_-".**

**Thanks to everyone for reviewing the last chapter :D **

**Camille: **Hee j'essaye d'éviter les histoires prévisibles..ça ne marche pas toujours, mais bon qui ne tente rien n'a rien :P. Angela...je ne voulais pas l'inclure comme petite amie de Jane, mais qu'elle ait quand même une certaine influence sur lui. Quand aux circonstances, voilà une version :3 Contente que le dernier chapitre t'ai plu en attendant, et merci pour le review :D

**AliahMPS: **Contente que ce tournant te plaise ^^. Les circonstances seront expliquées ici...enfin d'un point de vue seulement. Eh, qui sait comment se comporte Angela dans la série ;) Merci pour le review :D!

**And thanks to my half-beta for checking this :3**

**Disclaimer: I only own my twisted imagination**

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><p><strong>Blackout<strong>

**10**

Teresa checked her cell phone once more. Three texts, one missed call and a voicemail. The voicemail was from Madeleine, asking if she was up to a drink the next day. Two of the texts were from Walter –why he was trying to barge back in her life, she wondered, especially since she hadn't given any signs of wanting to see him again. The last one was from James, telling her he would be late from work –he had eventually found a restaurant who agreed to give him some cash if he washed dishes. As for the call…

She closed her eyes and erased the familiar number. Patrick had tried to contact her. Again. She pushed away the light feeling of guilt and put her mobile back in her bag. It had been about a week since Angela had told her about her boyfriend's antics and that she had last seen him. The woman's revelations had given her chills and at the moment, she hadn't been able to face him. Perhaps she should have waited to hear his version of the story of course, but the way the facts had been presented…

The door opened and Tommy sneaked his head inside her room.

"Hey Tessa. Uh… can we talk?"

The young woman smiled at him and nodded. Given the carefulness with which he was moving in her room, the uneasiness in his eyes, this was very personal, and a bit embarrassing. He sat on the border of her bed and lowered his head, taking a great interest in his socks.

"Well, you see, there's that girl I sorta like and well, we've been dating for a while now."

Lisbon widened her eyes in surprise.

"Really? Who is she? And for how long?"

Tommy grinned and pulled out his cell phone. A picture of a cute fair-haired, dark-eyed girl smiled back at her on the background of his mobile.

"'name's Line and we're classmates. We've been dating for 'bout, two months now?"

The young woman's face fell slightly and turned into a wince. _Stupid_, she thought. It wasn't surprising she didn't notice; she had still been in the middle of her honeymoon period with Patrick. Thinking of her lover made her want to grimace more, but she held back in front of her little brother. Speaking of whom…

"The other day, Line told me she felt ready to go eh- further." Tommy's cheeks turned scarlet at the admission. "Thing is, I have no idea… well yeah I do, but… do you think I could have a word with your boyfriend about that? I mean, you've been…" he hesitated, but Lisbon saw his point and continued for him:

"Yes, we slept together."

The relief on his face when she said the words out loud for him was quite surprising in her mind. The young woman thought he had no idea she had went further than… well, hadn't crossed that line yet.

"You knew?" she asked suspiciously. The teen nodded. "Since when?"

"Well… it was kinda obvious you were seeing someone, especially when you were coming back home with _that_ grin on your face, y'know. The kind of one screaming 'I got laid'." Lisbon narrowed her eyes at the words, but didn't comment, knowing he must have been right. Whenever she came back from a moment with Patrick, she did feel… lighter. Plus, her brothers were far from stupid. "But we all knew for sure when he came to pick you up for that evening at the nightclub, remember? You forgot something in your bedroom and left him with us…"

_The blond man was starting to get annoying, always glancing around, as if he was studying the environment. Tommy decided to take the lead._

"_So, Patrick is it?" He turned his deep, piercing blue eyes on them, waiting for the teen to ask whatever he had in mind. "Are you screwing with our sister?" _

_It was supposed to be a very serious question. He just wanted to know if the man took his sister seriously or if he was just using her. Being a tough liar himself, he knew when someone was lying. But the way it came out, sounded very wrong. _

"_Should I take the question literally or figuratively?" he asked, clearly amused by the choice of words. James spoke up in turn, deciding to shoulder his twin in spite of his light embarrassment:_

"_Both while we're at it." _

_The blond man shrugged._

"_I am not playing Teresa, I'm serious about her. And yes, we already had s…"_

"Don't tell me he said it out loud" she muttered, blushing in mortification.

Tommy nodded blankly. That moment had not been the most comfortable of his existence, especially with Chris asking what sex was about, and James making faces of disgust. But that was not his main concern. The way the man had looked at his sister afterwards reassured him more than the few words he had said.

"Well anyway, do you think he'll mind if I ask for some advice?"

"Patrick and I are…" she hesitated, before adding: "I don't think I will be seeing him anymore."

Tommy blinked in surprise.

"Really? Why?"

Lisbon shut her eyes and sighed.

"He… hid a few things from me. I heard about them from someone else and… Listen" she eventually sighed, not wanting to justify herself for her breaking up with HER boyfriend. "He did a very bad thing in the past and I don't think I can trust him anymore."

"But if it's in the past, it's over right?" Tommy said in puzzlement. "I mean, the guy obviously likes you; y'know the way he looks at you. I'm a guy, so I can tell" he added with a shrug. "I thought you liked him too."

"Tommy, it's not a matter of…"

"That bad thing he did, if you say you won't go out with him cause you can't trust him… did you even mention it to him?"

Lisbon glared at her younger sibling, but he did have a point. She hadn't spoken to Jane since Angela had spilled her story.

"Or is it just an excuse to break up with him?"

At his last words, Lisbon's blood started to boil. Did she want to break up with Patrick? Hell no! She would have gladly stayed in those sheets, waiting for him to return and let him wake her up. The moment she had learnt about Patrick's killing, she couldn't look at him the same. Angela's tale had made her uneasy.

"_Patrick has a criminal record, hasn't he told you?" At her blank face, Angela went on; and Lisbon would always remember how bright the malicious glint in her eyes was: "He killed a man seven years ago." _

_Lisbon felt a shiver run through her spine at her words. At first, she didn't want to believe the newcomer. But the unnerving smile on Angela's face told her that she wasn't lying._

"_No" the dark-haired replied. "I didn't know. What happened?" _

_The older woman snarled._

"_That's him all right, not talking about the worst in him. You see, he had a very difficult childhood. Quite the stubborn and disobedient child if you ask me and my parent were very severe. Patrick only obeyed me, because I treated him more…gently. Anyway, seven years ago I met this man. He was…the most intelligent, caring one and we were in love. Soon enough, we got engaged and Patrick was very upset about it. He started overreacting about everything, saying my fiancé was just a fake, that he loved me the wrong way, that sort of nonsense. Over the weeks, that boy became completely…obsessed with my fiancé, it was becoming scary. Barthy didn't take offence, merely brushed my concerns by saying Patrick was just acting like the jealous little brother, that he'd get over it. One day, we found him going through our stuff and that was the last straw. I told Patrick never to come back." _

_Lisbon's eyes were focused on Angela's face. So far, the woman hadn't…apparently…made up stuff. _

"_I assured my fiancé Patrick wouldn't come back…but Barthy said he'd take care of it, that I wouldn't have to worry. He and Patrick would have a little chat, and everything would be okay. One Saturday, he brought him to a tea salon and…" Angela breathed in deeply "And Patrick shot him there. Straight in the head. My fiancé was dead before he even hit the floor." _

_The young woman didn't dare take a breath. Jane's sister was on the verge of tears, staring at the books on the shelves in front of her. _

"_Patrick got away with self-defence, under the pretence my fiancé had pointed a gun at him. Ha" she snarled. "My fiancé had a licence for that gun and always took it with him, wherever he went. He had been attacked in his younger years and wanted to make sure he could protect himself…and Patrick knew that" she hissed angrily. "I don't know where he got_ his_ gun for the matter and I spoke to witnesses…they all assured me Patrick was smiling and laughing with Barthy when they arrived. That everything happened in a blur. No-one remembered their conversation, but one moment, they were chatting, the next my fiancé was lying his own blood…I never thought he was capable of that."_

"_Jane isn't like this" Lisbon muttered, her heart running wild. "He wouldn't shoot someone without a reason" she tried to rationalize. _

"_That reason was me!" Angela shouted, jumping on her feet and glaring at Lisbon. "Because he wanted to keep me for himself! Because I made the mistake of being nice with that little bastard, the man I loved was killed! My life was ruined back then! Do you get that? And that…that little brat had the guts to tell me it was for my own good! He never apologised." _

_Lisbon couldn't help the deep shiver running though her spine. Angela had tears in her eyes and troubles keeping her voice down. At some point, the younger woman would have pinned this outburst like overreacting, but something in her eyes told her __this woman was not lying. _

"_Don't waste your time with that bastard" she added more softly. "He only brings troubles to whoever comes close to him. He's possessive and jealous, and I'd be careful if I were you. This is just my saying, but just so you know."_

After that, Lisbon hadn't waited for her lover to come back then. She didn't know what she would have told him if she confronted him. She just knew she had to get some fresh air and get away from Patrick. So she ended up at her house, ignoring her father's yelling about something, locked herself in her room and let her cell phone rang.

Thinking of it, Lisbon realised she knew very little of the man's life before their first encounter. After they met, little place had been left for real and proper relationship. Hormones had taken over and dictated their relation up till now, and if Jane hadn't offered to start anew, then it would have still probably been the case. The young woman sighed. Oh yes, it would still definitively be the case. She hadn't be able to deny those superb blue orbs, and charming grin, and still wasn't sure she'd be able if she met him again. That was also one of the reasons why she didn't want to stay too close. That man held some strange influence over her, and over others...

Was it that same influence that got him released? she wondered; and the pang in her chest worsened. Sometimes, especially lately, the young woman had wondered if he hadn't just been using her for distraction.

"Whatever is happening between Patrick and me is none of your business." Lisbon eventually said, managing somehow to keep her voice steady. "I really like Patrick. I wouldn't put some distance between us if I haven't given it some serious thinking before. Now if you are done trying to patch us up…"

"Well excuse me if I'm worried about you. I approve that guy. And despite whatever mistake he did in the past, I think you should give him a chance at least to explain himself. Talk to him, if you _really_ _like_ him… 'cause I saw the man's eyes, and I tell you, he's crazy about you."

Lisbon sighed and couldn't help teasing.

"Since when did you become a counsellor?"

Tommy grinned, shrugged, and left the room without adding a word.

**-B-**

Bosco stared at his boss, fists tightened, but determined. Although he had demanded his team's consultant to be transferred elsewhere many times before, he was sure Minelli would listen to him this time. Lately, Jane had been extremely quiet, yet even more uncontrollable. More evil than good was done, and everyone was sick of his nonchalant behaviour.

"Jane's been completely out of the game recently. I can't allow someone who doesn't take investigation seriously to stay on the team. Even you can understand this boss!"

The older man knew Bosco was right. Jane had always been playing with authority but the last case was a huge overstep. The senator had not been pleased about the young man's understatement, that he was touching a large percentage on drug dealings, in front of a bunch of journalists.

"Jane will be given time off after his suspension" Minelli said slowly. "If he is still wild upon his return, I shall fill a transfer form."

Bosco grimaced without trying to hide his disappointment. That was not was he wanted from his boss.

"Why are you always protecting him?" he asked, greeting his teeth. "That boy has just been a nuisance since the beginning."

Minelli threw him a pointed stare, making the man remembering he was still addressing to his superior.

"That _boy_ closes cases. He is a remarkable asset to the CBI, like it or not."

The phone rang. Minelli dismissed his agent with a glance, and the man stood up to leave the office. While he had not got what he wanted, Bosco found a bit of comfort in thinking that Jane's state was due to a break-up or something similar with Teresa. For the time being, he just had to wait.

**-B-**

Grace smiled lazily as her boyfriend's fingers teased her still covered hip. She kissed him fully on the lips, rubbing her pelvis seductively against his, making him moan in delight, then pulled back for air and smiled against his mouth.

"Good thing my parents aren't here tonight" she whispered seductively.

Wayne grinned and was about to answer something when the redhead's mobile rang. Grace signed in annoyance and reached the phone.

"Hi, Grace Van Pelt speaking" she said, and her boyfriend started to tease her neck with gentle lips. "Yes I know him, wh-" she bit back a moan when Rigby licked a sensible point. "Why are you… WHAT?" The young man stopped his ministrations as the surprise in her voice. She remained silent a few moments before adding: "All right. I'll be there soon. Thank you sir. Good-bye."

Grace jumped off her lover's knees and put her hand in her hair, looking around for her jacket. Wayne grunted in disappointment and asked:

"What's going on? Who was calling?"

The redhead picked up the cloth she was looking for and slipped it on. He had never seen such a gruesome expression on her face.

"Police. They get Patrick in custody; I got to bail him out."

Wayne lowered his jaw in disbelief. Slight anger was tainting his eyes.

"Grace its past eleven pm!"

"I know. Just wait here honey I'll be back soon anyway."

The tall man sighed in frustration and stood up.

"I'm not letting you alone there. I'm coming with you." He picked up his jacket and asked: "Any reason why he's there? And why are they calling you?"

Grace's lips formed a thin, worried line. She heard the hint of jealousy in his voice –not the first time- and decided to put a term to it.

"He got drunk and started a bar fight; it's the first time he's ever done that in five years." She pursed her lips once more. "I wonder if something bad happened with Teresa."

Rigsby frowned in puzzlement.

"Why would something happen? Maybe they just had a fight and Patrick didn't bear it."

"Patrick wouldn't get drunk over a stupid fight" Grace replied, picking up a scarf and searching for her keys. "Five years ago, he was almost constantly drunk 'cause he had no-where to go." She hesitated a second, before raising her head and meeting his eyes. "I never told you how I met him, didn't I?"

The tall man shook his head.

"I found him lying in the alley of my building" she said then, softly. "Passed out. I woke him up, cause it was winter and pretty cold out there, and he didn't have enough clothes to keep warm. And when I saw his eyes, I knew I couldn't leave him alone." Grace sighed and glanced at her boyfriend. "He has been through a lot and had to rebuild himself entirely, Wayne. I helped him out, but he did the biggest part alone." She bit her lower lip in wonder. "He's genuinely fond of Teresa. She's the only reason I could think of, that would trigger this need to drink again."

Rigsby winced, not wanting to follow her stream of thoughts. Instead, he asked again, on a softer tone.

"You still didn't tell me why they called you."

Grace smiled sadly.

"I'm his 'next of kin'. Pat' doesn't really have family anymore. That's why I'm a bit protective about him, Wayne. There's nothing else between us, I swear."

The tall man nodded reluctantly and followed her wordlessly. While he knew Grace wasn't lying, he still held a small grunge against the blond man. It wasn't exactly Patrick's fault, but he couldn't help but envy the relationship the two had. Of course, deep inside, he felt they were nothing close to lovers. They just shared a deep understanding and seemed to trust each other completely. Rigsby sighed and shook his head in resignation. He was lucky enough to be Grace's _boyfriend_; if he had to 'share' her a bit with the guy she considered as her brother… oh well, guess he'd have to deal with it.

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><p><strong>Next chapter should be updated on Monday :3 <strong>

**Thank you for reading so far! (let me know what you thought of it :3? I might update faster then :3)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Thanks to everyone who left a review :D My half-beta is currently traveling so I don't exactly know when next chapter will be up, sorry ^^". In the meantime, here's the new one :)**

**sbrt: **yes it is due today -and sorry I had a few things to do in the morning ^^" hope you like it :3

**Camille:**hee merci :)

**Disclaimer: I only own my twisted mind**

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><p><strong>Blackout<strong>

**11**

"There's no way I'll close my eyes on that matter young people! You better clean your dirt before comes back, I told them!" Madeline exclaimed angrily, shaking her head in exasperation. "I swear that kid is going to make me… Are you even listening Teresa?"

The dark-haired young woman glanced up from her glass and nodded absent-mindedly. Lisbon had eventually agreed to go out with her for a glass in a nearby bar, having not much else to do after class that day. For some reason though, she couldn't bring herself to gave any real attention to her friend's talking. It didn't mean she wasn't listening.

"Your brother spilled the beans and was about to pick them with the vacuum cleaner when your sister decided it'd be better to cook them for dinner and spread water over the kitchen floor."

The black young woman leant back on her chair and sighed.

"All right, spill. What's on your mind?"

Lisbon sighed, crossing her arms over the table and hid her face there.

"My brother tried to set me up with my boyfriend again" She mumbled half-audibly. Much to her surprise, Hightower snorted.

"Uh-hun. I think that's a good idea."

Teresa raised her head and faced her friend in surprise.

"Why?"

"You were often getting laid when you were dating him right?"

Lisbon's cheeks burned red and she lowered her gaze slightly, much to her friend's great amusement.

"So what?"

"I don't think you realised it yet" Madeline went on, a hint of laugher barely hidden in her voice "but you've been acting a bit off lately. More cranky and, dunno, distracted."

"What are you insinuating exactly?" she asked dryly.

"You miss him. You're checking your phone more often than that Cindy bitch since it stopped ringing and…" she paused, glancing over Teresa's shoulder. "Do you happen to know that redhead staring at you?"

The dark-haired followed her friend's gaze and spotted Grace, sitting a few tables away, and… glaring at her. Oh great, she thought. What did Jane tell her?

"Yeah" Teresa mumbled, grimacing. "She's a good friend of Patrick's. I hope she… crap" she swore when she saw the redhead stand up and walk towards them. "Let me deal with her."

Although she had no idea what she was going to tell Grace, Teresa hoped dearly this wasn't going to turn into a wild bloodbath. She really liked the older girl, but she was also one of Jane's closest friends. Did she know his dark little secret, or was she blissfully unaware? she mused, walking towards Grace. Both stopped a few feet from each other. Seeing the other one was not going to start speaking, Lisbon did:

"Hi" she just said as a greeting, watching her warily. The redhead was too deadly serious. This couldn't be good. "What do you want?"

The older woman kept staring at her angrily. Lisbon was starting to think she wasn't going to do anything, when...

"He's been miserable since you left with no explanation!" Grace suddenly busted loudly, ignoring the disapproving glances from the other costumers. "I'm keeping my cell on 24/7 cause I'm scared I'll get a call from the cops telling me they've found his body in some dumpster!"

"It's not…" Teresa started, wanting to defend her position. But the redhead ignored her.

"He had been through so much shit and you're just sending him back to ground zero. Just yesterday I had to bail him out cause he got drunk and mixed into a bar fight. He hadn't relapsed in five years! I don't know what happened between you two, but seriously, go talk to him because I can't bear seeing him in so much pain!"

"Exactly" Lisbon barked dryly. "You don't know what happened so just leave it alone!"

Grace shut her mouth and glared at the younger woman. A few moments of staring later, she eventually said:

"You better have a good excuse then, because I swear if you did this just because of some freaking twisted story of his past, then I was seriously wrong about you. He's not a bad person; just...bad things happened to him" she sighed and shook her head. "Go talk to him or I swear I will be back to beat it out of you! It's just killing me to see him like this."

"Hey, watch your words lady" Madeline's voice erupted between them. Lisbon glanced over her shoulder and realised the black young woman had stood up to join the party. Grace glared at her before turning her back on them and walking away. Once she was far enough, Madeline nudged Lisbon's elbow and asked:

"Teresa you're okay?"

The dark-haired stared at Grace's retreating figure.

"I'm fine" she replied slowly, wishing she could ignore the tightening in her throat.

**-B-**

It couldn't be that bad, Lisbon thought. But still, Grace's words made her mind work in overdrive and worry at the same time. While she didn't really want to feel bothered about that, it would kill her if something happened to him because of her. So there she was, standing in front of Jane's apartment, ready to knock, see his face, and go back to her brothers afterwards. The young woman was not eager to meet him again, but as Grace had pointed out earlier, she needed to clear the air. So, taking a deep breath, she extended her arm and knocked three times. At first, there were no sound and she thought he wasn't home. Then, footsteps were heard and the door eventually opened.

The figure she came to face didn't appear to be the familiar one she expected to meet, and Lisbon almost apologised, thinking she had mistaken apartments for a second. But then, she recognised him and couldn't believe her eyes. The man, standing in front of her, hadn't shaved for days, had bloodshot eyes and smelt like alcohol. Behind him, everything was pitch dark, blinds closed. As if he hadn't been out in a long time.

"T'resa?" he muttered, narrowing his eyes. "What y'a doin' here?"

Her right hand tightened over her handbag where she had put a pepper spray just in case, taken off by his appearance. She took a deep breath and said:

"I came to check up on you."

Patrick snorted and shook his head in disbelief.

"Real'y? Guess Grace d'cided t'meddle in af'er all." He took a deep sigh and stepped back. "Well t'was nice t'see ye-"

Before she could think, Lisbon shoved her feet in the doorway, preventing the door to close. Throughout the opening it left, she stared hard at Jane and, with one hand, pulled the door open again.

"I'll stay a little longer."

She held his stare defiantly, daring to push her away. An angry glint twinkled in his eyes, but he stepped back again and returned into the darkness of his apartment. Lisbon followed, closing behind and switching the lights on. As she half expected, Jane winced at the sudden light, and she could take a better look around her. When she used to hang around here his place was perfectly clean. Now, bits of... she didn't know what were spread all over the floor, dust and dirty clothes lying altogether. A few bottles of beer -her heart clenched at the sight- were left forgotten in an angle of the corridor.

"Like what ye see?" Jane snorted, making her turn back to him and bit her lower lip in worry. "'M sure Ange will be thrilled nex' time she comes over. Sh'loves t'see me mis'rable."

He picked up a half-filled bottle and gulped generously. The sight made her sick. The memory of her father emptying bottle after bottle after her mother's death was still clear in her mind. His fall had been hard on everyone, especially when he had started abusing them. It had eventually stopped after she had opened her veins in the bathroom, but she would never forget the four years they had to endure back then...

He stared at her with his bloodshot eyes. How could he turn so bad in barely a few days? She wondered. As if reading her thoughts, he muttered:

"See how I deal? I don'. I can't." He took a step closer. She moved backwards, stopped when she felt the wall behind her. "Work'd be a great distraction, but I can't 'elp scr'wing up. Minelli'll soon realise I'm more troubl' than I'm wo'th. Bosco'll be soo pleased t'kick me out. I can't c'ntrol my feelings Teresa. Don' have a switch for 'em. Just plain overpowerin'..."

He pinned her to the wall and buried his head in her neck. Lisbon got rigid and dropped her handbag under the shock. The urge to run became overwhelming, but she found herself incapable of moving.

"What…" she started.

"Hush" he mumbled quietly. She heard his breathing pattern slowing down, inhaling her scent. "God, I missed you."

Suddenly, his lips took possession of hers almost violently, forcing her mouth open to taste her, hands holding her head firmly. While she wasn't used to him using his strength to restrain her, she felt something warming up in her lower stomach, a longing she had tried to repress for the past days. His unshaven cheeks felt rough against her skin, but the way he angled her face to deepen the kiss made her forget everything. His body was warm, strong in a reassuring way against hers. The feeling was so overpowering that she forgot why she felt scared, and her hands buried themselves in his hair.

The last weeks didn't matter anymore. Angela's story, Grace's anger, her worries, nothing mattered. All she could -wanted to- focus on were those strong arms keeping her still. Her environment vanished, and it was only them. Only during the kiss though.

When he pulled back for air, reality crashed back. She slid her hands over his chest and pushed him away gently.

"Is it stupid of me to hope you won't run this time?" he asked almost shyly. His eyes, although still reddish, had lost their angry glint. They had turned softer, more like the way he used to look at her before...She stared at his chest. The taste of alcohol was now in her mouth. The young woman closed her eyes and inhaled deeply.

"You didn't give me any reason to stay yet" she replied. He didn't bulge but she felt him tense. After another deep breath, she raised her eyes and met his. "Tell me what happened that day."

The young woman wasn't so surprised when Patrick looked away.

"I don't want to talk about it" he whispered. Lisbon sighed, annoyed.

"I already know you shoot and killed someone. The thing is, I didn't hear your side of the story. Angela told me she was the reason you shoot her fiancé, but I still had a feeling there was something more to it. Unless you explain your side of the story, I'm sorry Patrick, but I can't stay."

The young man's face turned darker. He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply in turn.

"It's not like I don't know the worst you did already" Lisbon added on a softer tone; and after a short hesitation, reached for his face and brushed his cheek with her fingers. "I just want to know _why_ you did it."

The young man shut his eyes and leaned in her touch. She knew then that she had nothing to fear from him.

"Come tomorrow, and I'll tell you everything" he whispered against her palm. His hand caught her elbow and he peeped small kisses over her wrist. "Let me...get back to my right mind first. If you want the whole story...I'll tell you, but let me sober up." He paused a few moments and added: "I made a fool of myself enough already."

Lisbon nodded in understanding. His sudden change of behaviour surprised her though. A few minutes ago, he was acting like a drunk, and now mastering his emotions quite well...Her thoughts were interrupted when his lips covered hers once again. The kiss was gentler this time, warm like a caress.

"I missed you" he repeated when he pulled back and leant his forehead against hers. "It killed me when you started ignoring my calls." His hands brushed her waist, then her hips, traced circles over her thighs. Lisbon shivered at the touches but didn't stop him. "You have no idea what you've done to me." He nuzzled her neck and pressed his body against hers. "I don't want to lose you."

"I'm not gone yet" she replied, her hand eventually halting his, and chided him with a pointed stare. "Behave now. I am going to walk out and will let you sober up, just like you asked me to."

Jane reluctantly stepped back. Given his dark eyes, dilated pupil -that detail triggered the butterfly feeling in her stomach- and clenched hands; she figured it might be best if she left now. Knowing him, he would probably take a very cold shower the moment she left his apartment. The thought made her chuckle inwardly.

"I'll pick you tomorrow then?" he asked tentatively as she started to walk away. Lisbon glanced at him, hesitated, and answered:

"Okay. Make it 2pm, I still have to deal with my brothers...you know how kids are" she added with a shrug. Jane smiled weakly.

"They are teenagers now" he said softly. "You should stop trying to protect them like a mother hen."

The short discussion she had with Tommy about his girlfriend flashed back in her mind.

"That I am aware of" the young woman mumbled. "See you tomorrow then."

The man didn't move from his spot and kept staring at her. A few months ago, she would have felt embarrassed or blushed under his piercing gaze. Now, she let him appreciate her silhouette without blinking and smiled, glad she still attracted him that way. A small wave of the hand, and she was out.

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><p><strong>It's raining outside. Care to leave me a review to brighten my day :3? <strong>

**Thank you for reading so far!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Two more chapters left for this story, all written and ready to be beta-ed.  
>Thanks for the reviews everyone :)<strong>

**Sbrt: **Given his story, can't really blame him :s Thanks for the review :D

**Jaz: **I know its a late question but are things going better now? Sorry I couldn't update this one earlier. I hope it will still make you smile if the situation hasn't gotten any better :s

**Shelly: **here you go :)

**And thanks for my half-beta for checking this :3**

**Disclaimer: I only own my twisted imagination :P**

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><p><strong>Blackout<strong>

**12**

Teresa glanced at her alarm clock on the night-desk. She sighed and let herself fall back on her bed. In a little less than an hour, Patrick would pick her up for a serious conversation. He had promised to tell her his side of the story, and she felt ready to listen. This would, she believed, either end their relationship or strengthen it.

The pepper spray was still in her bag, but also a condom. While she knew he probably still had some in his bathroom, she just wanted to make sure... who knew where this could lead them? she thought with a blush. After all, given the kiss they had shared the previous day, she was still pretty much under his charms.

"Hey Teresa?"

Tommy was staring at her from the entrance of her bedroom, a hesitant expression on his face. She straightened up and waited for him to ask his question.

"You're going back with Patrick, right?"

Lisbon nodded.

"We are going to straighten things out for the moment."

"Okay, just wanted to make sure." he hesitated before adding: "If you make up... you... could you slide a word about my... uh... problem?"

The young woman suddenly had to repress the urge to laugh.

"Sure." Someone rang at the door. "I'll go get the door."

Much to her surprise, Jane was standing there, hands in his pockets. He looked better than the previous day -had shaved, cleaned up, but he still hadn't regained the cheerful glint he use to possess when they were dating. Lisbon felt the pit of guilt in her stomach again, but forced herself to get over it. He still hadn't told her anything.

"I want to get this over with" Jane blurted before she could greet him. "Figured you'd be thinking hard, so might as well end it sooner than later" he added with an apologetic smile.

While she knew she should have been annoyed, Teresa actually felt relieved. Waiting another hour? She would have just banged her head against the wall way before he arrived. Or called him to make him hurry up. She picked up her stuff and, after a quick goodbye to her brothers, followed him to his car. The trip to his apartment was silent but not uncomfortable. They didn't need to talk, and Lisbon wasn't in the mood for chitchat. They parked, went up the stairs and he closed the door.

"Take a seat" he ordered softly. "I'll get us something to drink."

Lisbon obeyed and let herself fall on the couch. A quick glance around her confirmed that Jane had done some major cleaning between the time she left yesterday and today. The room smelt fresh and clean and the windows had been opened to chase the stuffy scent. No more clothes were lying on the ground, nor were the dust balls she had spotted in corners.

"I feel bad you saw that... scenery yesterday."

The young woman glanced over her shoulder. Jane was there with two glasses. He put them on the table before sitting next to her and started bluntly:

"I suppose Angie told you I shot her fiancé out of the blue after stalking them for a while." Lisbon nodded. "It's part true. I had my reasons though."

She leaned back in the couch, crossed her arms and stared at him straight in the eyes. Just like him, she wanted to be done with this story. While a hint of uneasiness kept her on guard, Lisbon knew he deserved to be given a chance to explain himself.

"I'm listening" she said. Jane smiled tightly before breathing deeply.

"Angie met the guy at college –his name was Barthelemy Thomson, one of her teachers. She immediately fell for him and he reciprocated her feelings. In a matter of months, they started dating, she spoke of moving in with him, and they got engaged. At first, I thought he was playing her, because their decision to move in together and all? Way too fast in my opinion. I never believed in love at first sight, so I followed them, to figure out if he was hiding something." He snorted. "God, had I known how things would turn out, I would have called the police immediately instead of trying to sort it out by myself."

Lisbon waited patiently for him to continue.

"Barthelemy was a serial killer."

She stared blankly at him. _What?_

"I found proof in his bedroom" Jane continued. "In a hideout, in his mattress. Hair and pictures of the dead victims, and that guy could have not collected those with the police, those were too personal." The color in his eyes shifted to a deeper blue, the kind that appeared when he was anxious. "I tried to warn her. I wanted to show her the stuff, but that guy made it all disappear. I guess he suspected I was after him, so I tailed him to find more evidence. That bastard made it look like I was a complete stalker -although I admit my behavior was stalk-ish" he added with a tight smile. "Then one day, I finally realized this was way too big for me and went to the police. Naturally, having no proof at hand, no-one believed me" he muttered, staring at his hands. "Only one guy decided he'd give me a chance... he had been following that case for a while, and would have tried anything to solve it. We tried to work out on ways to pin him, and coincidentally, Barthelemy perfectly chose his timing to set things straight with me. He decided, after notifying Angela about it, that he and I would have a little chat about my... attitude and dragged me to a coffee shop." Jane paused and hesitated before adding: "I swear, it's freaking creepy to hear a serial talking about his previous killings and at the same time, claiming he really fell for my big sister... Anyway, I managed to elude him in the bathroom and called Minelli to the rescue..."

"Wait" Lisbon cut, frowning. "Isn't that the name of your boss? Minelli I mean."

Jane smirked and nodded.

"First 'case' I ever 'worked' with him. That guy was -and still is- brilliant. He managed to arrive in record time, slip a gun and a microphone in the bathroom without Barthelemy noticing and when I got back to the table, I had backup waiting to intervene. Unfortunately" he added with a grimace, "It boosted my confidence, and that bastard felt it. I still managed to trick him into confessing his murders once again, but when he figured out what was going on..."

The young man shut his mouth and tightened his fists. His breathing rhythm became slower as he revived those moments.

"He was going to draw his weapon, I could see it in his eyes. He wanted to kill me before..." His voice dissipated and he clenched his jaw. Lisbon held her breath. She had never seen him so tense before. "I... I had to shot first. I tried to aim at the shoulder, to disarm him y'know. I didn't want to kill him."

His fingers were twisting nervously. Lisbon kept quiet, waited for him to continue, sensing he was not quite done yet.

"But I did. You have no idea how it feels to pull the trigger on someone. Everything turned red and for a moment, I couldn't... move. I think I even blacked out a few seconds. Minelli and the others never blamed me. Said that was the right thing to do." The young man paused. "I was fifteen, Teresa. I shot a man and killed him. I was not really... stable afterward. The police told my family I had been brave, all sorts of crap but all they saw in me was a murderer and for some reason they never believed that creep had been a serial killer. Mom, Roger and Danny didn't really want to speak to me and Angela never forgave me. She was the only one holding me back there, so I ran away. Took a few jobs to survive, gambled... I even went on drugs once, turned into a dealer for a few months." Lisbon tensed at his words. He replied to her reaction with a tight smile: "It was a few months thing. I needed something to make money out of. I quit before getting in too deep, turned to alcohol instead. Until Grace found me passed out next to a dumpster in her street."

The young woman remembered the expression on the redhead's face the previous day. That was why she was so upset... Jane went on, not even noticing her pause:

"She helped me go through my problems, kept checking and pester me, and I had no choice but to get better. Got back in contact with Minelli, to get a temporary job to get a new apartment. Ended up staying there because they found out I was good at picking up details. Then I found that second job at the casino, signed as a part-time dealer. Tired to make up with Angela... hence why I have a few of her old clothes stored in my closet" He glanced at her hesitantly, before adding: "I was a bit of a loner back then. Didn't really have friends, aside from Grace and her friends. I didn't even felt the need to make some. The only girls I had were one-night stands in dance clubs and such. But then I met you."

Lisbon bit her lower lip and looked away. The way he was staring at her now made her feel uncomfortable.

"When I saw you at the bar, I just thought you were just another of those girls, wanting to get loose, get laid and start anew the next day." The dark-haired winced at the memory. "But then I looked into your eyes and felt you were different. I couldn't... bring you to a hotel and behave like you were just another random laid."

"So you brought me to your apartment. How considerate of you" she cut sarcastically and glared at him. Jane grinned at her lecherously.

"Believe it or not, but I had no idea you were a virgin until I pinned you to the bed and..."

"I think we have more important matters to deal with right now" Lisbon interrupted again, blushing as flashbacks teased her memory. The young man shrugged.

"As you wish my dear. Where was I anyway? Ah yeah, our first lovemaking." His lover threw him a warning glance. "Teresa, you might think I'm just joking around, but I am serious." Every trace of amusement had deserted his eyes now. "You changed me. I can't think of anyone else I had ever wanted to make love to; or just spend time with." His fingers tentatively reached her forearm and he brushed her skin, barely touching. "I cared Teresa, and because I cared I couldn't tell you. I didn't want to scare you off. It was like... an instinct. I knew if I told you too early what I have done, you'd back off. You're the best thing that happened to me in a while and..." he whispered the last words: "I didn't want to lose you."

There was an instant of silence, and Jane spoke again:

"I told myself that I had to prepare to this eventually. That you might run away again, and that I'd have to accept it." His tone was so low she had to concentrate to hear him speak: "But I... I can't."

He looked at her. Really looked at her, and she saw it. The worry. Lisbon closed her eyes. She didn't want to be influenced by these blue orbs, she needed some time to gather her own thoughts. At first, Angela's tale had made perfect sense. Then, with Jane's added details, she was starting to get the bigger picture. If she took his word, he just wanted to protect his sister. And according to Angela, he was just plain jealous. Perhaps it was a bit of both that drove the young man to follow his hunch and reach such extreme measures. But then, why not contact the police directly, or tell his parents? She asked him the reason.

"My parents wouldn't have believed me" he replied nonchalantly. "They thought I was just hanging after my sister, like I always did. And I thought in my stupid fifteen years-old mind I could solve the problem myself."

"Angela said you had a difficult childhood, and understated your parents weren't very tender with you." Lisbon paused and frowned: "Wait, didn't you mention your step-father abused you?"

The young man's lips formed a thin line and he looked away.

"He didn't really like me."

"But did he mistreat Angela? Or your other brother?"

Jane stared hard at the coffee table. She could see a thin vein forming in his neck, indicating a rise of anger.

"Oh certainly not" he hissed. "I wasn't _his_ kid, so he didn't give a damn. Roger was just _kind_ enough to adopt me so..." He closed his eyes and whispered: "My father's a carnie, Teresa. I spoke to him once, only an hour, and I knew what sort of man he was. Believe me, I was better off with Roger. Can we" his voice had an urgent edge "talk about this another time?"

Lisbon nodded in understanding. Although she had a feeling his attachment to Angela had something to do with the way he was treated as a child, she wouldn't push the matter now. The little she had learn about Patrick during their relationship was that he didn't talk about himself much. That he had agreed to open up a little to her... he mustn't have been lying when he said he cared.

"So, what's the verdict?" the young man asked nervously. The dark-haired glanced at him and bit her lower lip.

He had been the first boyfriend treating her with a hint of respect -in spite of the circumstances of their meeting. In fact, he had been nothing but tender and -very- affectionate towards her. He had never shown aggression towards her, or underestimated her, or made sarcastic comments about her according to his friends. A few months with him had confirmed that while he may not talk about himself or his past often, he was not the kind of fellow to hide his feelings; especially antipathy. On her side, she liked hanging out with him. As she had first said to Bosco, Jane was an interesting character, smart and funny. Plus, she thought with an inside grin, he was awesome in bed. She really liked him, but he had issues -bigger than hers. Could she handle someone like him?

The young woman swallowed hard and made up her mind.

"Maybe you're right. We should start anew."

Patrick stared at her in puzzlement. She bit her lower lip before adding softly:

"Everything went so fast after that first night. We started sleeping together, then dating-sleeping without really taking the time to know each other. I think we forgot the essential. Had I known you better and if I wasn't a bit scared of you, I don't think I would have ran immediately without leaving you a chance to hear your side of the story."

The young man stared at her in disbelief.

"You're scared of me?"

Out of all things, that was the one thing he was shocked by? The young woman shrugged.

"Of you, of how I act around you. I can barely recognise myself."

"I would never take advantage of you" Patrick protested. She raised a brow; he winced and admitted: "Okay, there were a few times."

In spite of herself, Lisbon chuckled at his embarrassed face.

"I never exactly protested" she added, shifting into a more comfortable position on the couch. "But I do think we should start again, slower. I want to know you fully and I want you to know me... Then we can decide if this is worth a shot."

"I guess I can live with that" Patrick whispered after a while. "I have one condition too though. If something bothers you, ask to me straightforward. Don't… I don't want to lose you because I… I didn't talk."

She caught his chin and, pulling back, lifted his face so he could meet her eyes. Those blue green orbs were so translucent. She couldn't leave him now, not when he was acting so vulnerable. That would definitively be a huge blow. Her lips brushed his gently. He deserved another chance. They deserved another chance.

"Same goes with me, all right?" Lisbon said, trying to sound more assured than she felt. His face lightened immediately at her words, and a beautiful, genuine smile grew on his face. And then, she knew she had made the right decision.

**-B-**

Jane stood in front of Minelli's office and breathed in deeply. None of the other teams had arrived yet, and he wanted a word with his boss. The young man knocked at the door and waited for the response.

"Come in."

He entered without waiting a second more and couldn't help the little smirk at Minelli's stunned expression -he never knocked.

"Jane? What... never mind. Sit there, I was going to call you."

The blond man obeyed and crossed his legs.

"Before you start speaking" he said, not waiting for the older man to open his mouth. "I'd like to apologize for my behavior. I had been extremely rude to the team and disdainful towards potential criminals and the victims. That won't happen again."

Minelli snorted in disbelief, and Jane grinned:

"Well, it will happen _less._ That is if I still have my job. Or did Bosco manage to kick me out while I was on leave?"

The older man grunted.

"He started going through procedure, and seriously Jane, a lot of people want you out; especially since your last mess. The Senator was _not_ happy."

"I still caught the murderer."

"That won't always save your ass young lad! You were lucky he didn't come after you."

"Oh no worries, I let him know his dark little secret is safe as long as he stays put. He may not be a drug dealer, but he sure was cheating on his wife with his secretary."

Minelli blinked.

"But his secretary is a man" he pointed out.

Jane shrugged.

"Mister Johnson wouldn't be the first one to hide his true sexual orientation for fear of scandal. Parents were conservative I suppose..."

Minelli sighed deeply.

"Do you really have to notice all these little details?"

"That's what you pay me for, sir" the young man replied with a grin. "It's not like I can turn _it_ off at will."

"Remind me how your girlfriend puts up with you?" the older man asked, before shutting his mouth and looking apologetic. Jane's smile tightened, but did not falter.

"It's okay sir, we're on good terms. And we breaking up had nothing to do with my charming personality. As a matter of fact, I came to warn you that she knows about _that_ case now. But she won't breathe a word."

Minelli stiffened and Patrick understood him. At the time, the young man was a minor, so no name had been included in the report. If the story happened to be known around the office though...No-one knew exactly how the older man had come to know him. No-one knew why he had hired him. If it came to light he was just using his authority as the head of CBI to do him a favor...

"Who told her?"

"Angie. But I've taken care of that too." he assured. "She's heading back to Florida. Just wanted to check if my life was still unstable."

Minelli grumbled something and shook his head.

"That woman has never been really stable herself, Patrick."

Jane's face turned blank.

"I stole her fiancé from her. Even though he was a bastard, she sees me like the one who destroyed her life. Can't blame her for hating my guts y'know. Anyway" he said on a more firm tone. "Do I still have my job?"

The older man leaned back on his chair and sighed.

"You're due to return Monday morning. But I swear Jane, one wrong slip and..."

"Don't worry boss" the young man teased. "Things are getting better in my personal life. I will make efforts to be more considerate."

"You really need to learn to separate your personal and professional life" Minelli grumbled. Jane smiled apologetically.

"I never had that problem before, because I didn't care about others. Teresa... she's special. I don't want to let her go" he added in a whisper.

The older man shifted uncomfortably on his seat.

"Shouldn't you talk about this with your friends instead of your boss?"

Jane tilted his head on the side, as if thinking deeply, before muttering:

"That a very good idea Virgil. Actually, an excellent one. I haven't thought of it before."

"Are you mocking me?"

"Never would dream of it." he replied with a grin.

The older man groaned, but as Jane left the room, he allowed an amused smirk to grow on his face. Despite the rumors in the corridors, Minelli never regretted his decision of keeping him around. That kid was smart, damn good at his job, and a real entertainer. If only he stopped trying to cross the line...

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><p><strong>For reminders, Angela was older than Jane when the whole thing happened. <strong>

**So, liked it or not? Please let me know :3**

**And thank you for reading so far!**


	13. Chapter 13

**So this is the chapter-before-last. Nothing much happens, aside from Jisbon moments :P I'll just let you read ^^"**

**Thanks for the reviews :D! **

**Jazz **I'm sorry to hear that :( but if they say it's curable, then there's no reason it shouldn't work, right? Glad you liked the last chapter ^^; and hopefully this one will make you smile as well :) Thanks for the review :D

**Camille: **Hee je ne pouvais pas les laisser faches trop longtemps de toute facon. JLR etait le fiancé d'Angela…je me disais que ca donnerait une certaine ironie a la situation ^^". Pleins de moments Jisbon a venie, j'espere que tu aimera :3 Merci pour le review :D

**And thanks to my half-beta for checking this :3 Disclaimer; I only own my twisted imagination :P**

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><p><strong>Blackout<strong>

**13**

Lisbon's cell rang.

"Hey Patrick." she said as she picked up, not even glancing at the caller's ID.

Since she and Jane had taken things 'slower', they had spent most of their time on the phone speaking of nothing, and doing about the same when they were together. One week after the serious conversation, they had, literally speaking, started anew. Re-introduced themselves properly -that part had been amusing, especially since they were more or less repeating what the other already knew- gone out for a few dinners, and enjoyed each other's company.

There was a soft chuckle in return, and a warm feeling spread in her stomach.

"_You picked up quick. I didn't know you were so eager to talk to me, love."_

She rolled her eyes, but didn't stop the small smile on her lips.

"Oh hush. What do you want? Aren't you supposed to be dealing cards right now?"

"_Just to hear your lovely voice before returning to work" _he replied, unfazed by her remark._ "More seriously, I'm taking the last shift tonight; a colleague is sick and I pulled the short straw."_

"So you might sleep in tomorrow afternoon, is that it?" she concluded, disappointed.

They were planning to go on a picnic since the weather-cast had announced a sunny day; and she had been looking forward to go.

"_I don't know" _headmitted._ "I'm supposedly ending at three, but my boss might push it to six. Payback for all the times I dropped them for a case, y'know."_

"Your boss is a prick" the young woman muttered, and added, whining: "Can't you tell him to go to hell and quit?"

She was rewarded by a loud laugh.

"_As much as I wish I could, this job pays better than CBI. I want to save as much as I can for our future offspring while I can still do it._"

The young woman rolled her eyes.

"Patrick Jane, I'm not letting you knock me up so early. Plus you have to get back in my bed first and that's not happening any time soon."

Lisbon knew he was half-joking right then. She had seen his eyes when they had mentioned kids in one of their numerous conversations; he was seriously considering starting a family with her. But she didn't want to go there yet. She had time ahead of her; and he knew that too.

Jane sighed.

"_All right honey-bunny" _she winced at the pet-name_; "I'll let you finish this essay of yours and text you tomorrow. If we can't have lunch I still have a plan B for dinner; if you're up to it."_

Lisbon bit her lower lip, knowing what he was about to offer, and knowing what would be her answer.

"Okay" she replied. "You pick me up at seven and _you_ cook."

The young man chuckled amusingly.

"_Deal. What do you want?"_

"Your choice. But I _want_ that strawberry and cream cake for dessert."

He laughed again and after a quick good-bye, Lisbon shut her cell phone with a grin. That wold _definitively_ make up for the missed picnic.

**-B-**

Lisbon stretched, a satisfied smile on her face. The sun was warming her skin very nicely, and after that huge sandwich, she only wanted to doze off. A figure blocked the sun from reaching her, and after opening one eye, the young woman pouted.

"Patrick Alexander Jane, you are obstructing the sunlight."

The blond man laughed and rolled on his back, crossing his arms behind his head. After the missed picnic, they had managed to schedule another afternoon, and they had opted for a public park, where many families came to have a picnic as well.

"I didn't know you wanted to get burnt to a crisp" he teased. "You don't have any hat or sunscreen, and I'd hate for you to have a headache at work."

"Indeed" she replied sarcastically. "I'm sure I'll forget how to put cheese on a burger."

Lisbon had got a seasonal job at a nearby fast-food joint and she hated it. To distract her, he rolled on his side and slipped a hand in her hair. The young woman shut her lids and hummed in content.

"You're beautiful" Jane whispered before leaning in and kissing her forehead, the tip of her nose, her lips... She grinned and started kissing back, her fingers lingering over his cheek...

"Hey! take your paw off my sister!"

An angry voice interrupted them, and the couple glanced at the three other Lisbons standing nearby. James was fuming, Tommy looking embarrassed and Christopher bore the 'yuck' expression boys his age wore when they caught their parents in a compromising situation. And there, Lisbon wondered why she had thought bringing them along would be a good idea. Ah yeah, to go to the restaurant afterward for the twins' birthday.

"I played the magician at your party" Patrick complained. "Teresa promised a little reward in exchange..."

The young woman blushed and protested strongly. But that was just her boyfriend, to tease her about _that_ in public. And even though her brothers had some time adapting to his humor, they eventually decided to ignore it or laugh at their sister's expense.

"It's no fun playing soccer with that kiddo" the twin eventually said, ignoring his young brother's protest. "Mind to join us?"

Jane glanced at his girlfriend. Lisbon shrugged and straightened up.

"I guess Patrick _and Chris_ can kick your ass at soccer. I'll keep the goal in the meantime."

The twins made a face but reluctantly agreed. At least, Lisbon thought with a smile, her brothers seemed to accept the man easily.

**-B-**

They had decided that day would be to simply lazy around in his apartment and watch a few DVDs. Between two movies, Jane had gotten up and headed to the kitchen to refill the bowl of pop-corn.

"Hey Teresa, when did you tell me graduating day was?"

The young woman glanced at Jane from his couch. He was now standing next to her with the fresh food and a bottle of Ice Tea.

"Why?"

The young man let himself fall on the cushions next to her and handed her the dish. She grabbed a handful of pop-corn and started eating it while he grabbed the remote and pressed play.

"I want to be sure I'll be free that day" he replied as the previews started. "Plus, Grace, Wayne, Sophie and Cho would never miss that event."

The dark-haired groaned. Since Jane and her had started dating again, he had introduced her more... properly to his bunch of goofy friends. Aside from the three she already knew, she got to meet Kimball Cho and the so-called psychic of the group named Kristina. Lisbon had immediately taken a liking in the Asian man and he seemed to appreciate her in return, but she couldn't say the same for the other girl. With the rest of the band around, they would remain civil; but Kristina's crush on Jane tended to increase their less-than-friendly feelings...

She had all of their numbers in her cell phone. But for them to come at her graduating day...

"Patrick, I'm not sure..."

"C'mon woman, they'll be so excited! The girls will make so much noise everyone'll know the unique Teresa Lisbon is done with school."

"That's exactly what I'm afraid of" she replied, narrowing her eyes. The blond man leaned forward and stopped inches from her face. It used to make her nervous, but now she would hold his gaze without blinking an eyelid.

"Either you tell me, or I call the administration of the school and find out myself. Your call my dear."

Lisbon glared at him and reluctantly muttered it was the next Friday. At his huge grin, she dreaded the day already.

**-B-**

The ceremony had started and so far, everything had gone smoothly. Her brothers had insisted to come over for moral support, although Lisbon had a feeling they wanted to cheer her as loudly as possible. She had left them with Grace -the first one to arrive- and had hurried to join Madeleine and put her robe on. When her name was called by the headmaster, she stood up and walked towards the stage, dreadfully waiting for the explosion of cries and shouting.

Nothing happened for the first minute, but it wasn't until she had her diploma in hand that...

"Te-re-sa! Te-re-sa!"

A very, _very_ loud cheer irrupted from a middle line. A redhead, a blonde girl, a tall dark-haired man and an Asian man along with her three brothers were clapping hard and calling her name. She quickly thanked the headmaster, wishing hard the blush would run off her face, waved a little at them, and left the stage in a hurry. The clapping died down afterward, but when she sat back at her chair, her fellow students glanced funny at her. Madeleine even leaned and whispered:

"Jeez, I didn't know you were so popular."

"Oh shut up."

She still felt a pang in her chest, because she hadn't spotted Patrick in the mix and later on, when she joined the group, he still wasn't there.

"He got an urgent call when we were in the car" Sophie explained. "Promised he'd be there in time though. Knowing him, he must have watched from the back." A quick glance at the said back of the room after, she added: "With the crowd gathering, I doubt he'll manage to find up quickly though... But I'm sure he was there. You know he wouldn't have missed this for the world."

Lisbon merely nodded and forced a smile on her face. She announced she was going to pick up a drink, asked if anyone wanted some, and left before Sophie took out her cell phone to ring the absent man.

Someone must have decided this was doom day. On her way to the buffet, the petite brunette fell on Cindy. The blonde greeted her as if they were still friends.

"This year was fun" she declared lightly. "I know we had our hitches on the way, but no hard feelings?"

Lisbon ignored the hand she was offered.

"You stole my boyfriend, Cindy."

The blond shrugged.

"Sorry bout that. But he was a real piece of pie and it was really just a fling. Have you find anyone else?"

There was a hint of malice in her tone when she asked the question. Lisbon stared at her straight in the eye and replied coolly:

"Actually, yes I did."

Cindy's eyes flashed.

"Oh really? Glad for you. Where is he now?"

"At work."

The blond wore that smirk Lisbon hated to much.

"Sorry he couldn't free himself to see you."

The tone in her voice indicated she was anything but sorry. Before Lisbon could reply though, an arm sneaked around her shoulders and someone kissed her temple. Cindy's jaw fell low, her eyes widened, and the dark-haired knew she had won. Patrick Jane had this kind on effect on the female population.

She turned to grin at the blond man standing by her side and let him kiss her lips gently.

"Sorry" he whispered with an apologetic expression. "I got caught in traffic."

"You're here now, it's all that matters" she replied, and realized it was true. So what if he skipped her diploma ceremony; the others had largely compensated for his absence. "Shall we join the others?"

Jane nodded and they left a still wide-open-mouthed Cindy in their trail.

**-B-**

"He's happy."

Both Martinez and Hicks raised their head at Rebecca's remark. The woman was staring at her computer screen, but her distracted eyes told them her mind was wandering elsewhere.

"What?"

"Jane" she repeated. "He's happy."

Her male partners glanced quickly at the couch where their consultant was reading a book, humming cheerfully. Then, they stared at her weirdly.

"He's always happy."

"He's always _smiling"_ the woman nuanced. "But see the light in his eyes? He's definitively happy."

Both men glanced at each other again.

"Do you think it's linked to his recent good behavior?" Hicks wondered out loud.

Curiosity pushed Martinez to stand up and head towards the younger man. To anybody's eyes, Jane was just resting as usual, waiting for another case to show up. But now that Rebecca had mentioned it, the agent saw the twinkle in his eyes, the half-smile and the peaceful atmosphere surrounding him.

"What are you reading?"

Jane blinked at him and grinned widely.

"Oh Martinez! How nice to see you here! Have you lost the short straw to ask me why I'm in such good mood? I'm not sure you want to know though."

The older man blinked, amused. Jane had used little provoking sentences before, to make them even more intrigued. So he took the bait and replied:

"What if I do?"

The blond shrugged.

"Okay, if you insist. I got back with my girlfriend and we decided to... test our limits in the bedroom." Martinez blinked in puzzlement. "I'm reading a copy of the Kama Sutra."

The agent stared blankly at him. Hicks coughed out his coffee and Rebecca grinned with amusement. Jane went on, ignoring their reactions. They _had_ asked for it.

"There are a few positions that might be quite challenging, honestly I'm not _that_ flexible." he went on shamelessly. "But I think she will like this one... wanna see?"

That was a blatant lie. His lovely girlfriend and he had yet crossed that line and surprisingly, it _was_ fine with him. They had had a few passionate make-out sessions, but nothing had gone out of hand. If anything, it had been even more enjoyable than ever. Maybe because they had already consummated the 'honeymoon period' of their relationship... The last thought left a smile on his face, and as Martinez quickly retreated to his desk, he returned to reading the novel Cho had given him to correct.

From his office, Bosco was fuming at Jane's nonchalance. The brat and Teresa had gotten back together again, and he had failed in getting him removed from the unit. Granted the consultant had been behaving, but he was completely disrespecting his partner in life. Teresa didn't need a prick like him.

He needed to put an end to this; Bosco thought determinedly. And the sooner the better.

**-B-**

Jane stopped his car in front of Lisbon's house. After her shift was done, they had gone to the movies and taken a walk around the park. It was starting to get late, but the young man didn't feel like letting her go yet. The young woman by his side had been unusually quiet and he despite his attempts to make her talk, she would answer with monosyllabic words. That meant one thing; his Teresa was pondering over something, and making a decision that would influence their relationship. He didn't know if he wanted to know her conclusion though.

"It'd be great if you could dine at home one of these days." She started hesitantly. "I'm always eating at your place..."

"All right" he replied cheerfully, relieved she didn't seem to want to kick him out of her life.. "When?"

She shrugged.

"Don't know. Maybe this weekend? My brothers will be thrilled to have you around again...I don't think dad will join us though."

There was a hint of sadness in her tone; but decided to shrug it off. He knew Peter Lisbon's absence was weighing heavily on her moods and even though he had offered to listen, she had never really wanted to talk about it. Jane knew she wanted to ask him something when she didn't step out of the car right away.

"The twins were invited to a birthday party" she suddenly spoke up. "They took Chris with them so he could play with the birthday boy's sister and they'll sleep there tonight." Her eyes hesitantly met his. "Do you want to come inside?"

Jane knew an invitation when he saw it. If he was honest with himself, he would gladly follow his girlfriend for a big session of making out and maybe more; but this was the woman he was considering to chose as lifetime partner. He wouldn't rush her into anything; scaring her off once was already enough.

"Do you want me to?" he eventually asked.

Her pupils dilated, her lips parted slightly and her eyes lowered quickly over his mouth. For the past few months they had been dating, they had a few _quite_ _pleasant_ moments... but the young woman had never looked so... eager. An amused smile grew over his lips. When Lisbon held her breath, he was pretty sure his own eyes had darkened considerably.

They walked out of the car in silence. As soon as they passed the front door though, Lisbon grabbed his hand and pulled him, making him pin her against the wall. Jane didn't miss the bait and lowered his head to kiss her hard, hands flying to her waist immediately. The young woman circled his neck to pull him closer and arched her back, rubbed her hips against him, making them both moan. They parted with a resonating 'smack', and he attacked her neck hungrily. Lisbon closed her eyes and hummed in content. His mouth and teasing hands were doing wonders, and she just couldn't wait till they reached her bedroom...

The sound of someone walking nearby made them both jump and part. To their great embarrassment, Peter Lisbon was standing in the corridor, eyes wide with shock. Given his smell, Lisbon knew he had been drinking again and was suddenly grateful for her boyfriend's presence. The said boyfriend stood before her, creating a shield between her and her father. The man glared at him and headed towards the kitchen wordlessly. As soon as he left the room, Lisbon bit her lower lip.

"Sorry for that" she muttered. Jane merely shrugged and turned back to give her a small kiss on the forehead.

"You want to stay at my place for a while?" he offered as he spotted the uneasiness in the young woman's eyes. He knew how much she hated sharing the place with a drunken man.

She didn't have time to answer. Peter Lisbon came back, holding a rifle tightly and close to his body.

"He told me what you're doing to my baby girl you sick son of a bitch!" he yelled, pointing his firearm at Jane. "You're not going to hurt her anymore I swear!"

And before anyone could move, he pulled the trigger.

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><p><strong>Liked it? Didn't like it? Please let me know :P<strong>

**And thank you for reading so far :D**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hey everyone! Last chapter up, and I think this fic was the fastest I ever wrote time wise :P. nothing much to say, so I will just let you read and enjoy :)**

**Thanks to everyone for reviewing and following up till now :D **

**Camille: **Hee contente qu'il t'ait plu :3 Bosco va aparaitre une derniere fois, mais rien de dramatique…Merci d'avoir lu jusqua'ai bout et j'espere que cette fin te plaira :3 Merci pour le review :D

**MadMouse: **Je n'ai rien contre les review en Francais xD Contente que l'histoire t'ai plu, et j'espere que tu apprecieras le dernier chapitre ^^. Merci pour le review :D

**Ion**: Thanks for the review :3

**sbrt, : **Uh…I was referring to the whole chapter (filling-kind-of) but now that you mention it that detail doesn't make it much nothing xDD. Thanks for the review :D

**jazz: **Haha glad you liked it xD Wow I'm glad things are going well so far for your bf :D Did he like the surprise party? (yeah, teachers are like that… xDD) Thanks for the review :)

**And thanks to my half-beta for checking this :3**

**Disclaimer : I only own my twisted imagination :P**

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><p><strong>Blackout<strong>

**Epilogue**

Despite the fact everyone had gone home few hours ago, Bosco was still sitting behind his desk, filling forms and finishing paperwork. The day had been busy and successful, with three suspects and murderers arrested and a dirty cop put behind bars. His subordinates had left in a good mood, wishing him a good evening.

But he didn't really feel like going home yet. Mandy would be angry at his coming late again, without calling her first. He had missed dinner with the kids as he had more... important issues to deal with right now. To his surprise, Minelli had informed him earlier that week that his consultant had been shot -but his life was not in danger- and would take a medical leave for a while. Then, a few days ago, Mandy had announced that Teresa had jumped by their house to say she was moving to Sacramento to attend a well-known college to become a lawyer. It saddened him that the young woman hadn't stopped by the office to tell him herself; maybe he should go to her place to wish her good luck in turn...

"Daydreaming on the workplace again? You should really go home Sammy."

The agent raised his head and had to blink a few times to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, puzzled to see the blond man at this time of the day in his office.

Jane was wearing a cast on his left arm and had lost a bit of weight, but in the overall he looked fine. The older man suddenly realized he hadn't asked Minelli who had shot the consultant. At the time, he had pinned it on a street incident, but one week ago? That was about the time he had paid a visit to the Lisbons...

"Just paying a last visit to the team" replied Jane, shrugging. "Apparently I got there a bit late. But perhaps it's better this way; I wanted to talk to you alone."

The agent frowned. Has he heard the words correctly?

"What do you mean, last visit? And why would you want to talk to me?"

Jane's expression darkened as he narrowed his eyes.

"I know you mentioned _us_ to Teresa's father. I know you told him I was using her."

Bosco's expression remained impassible.

"Oh really?"

"I'm not pressing charges against him, because he's Teresa's father and he was misled. I do not blame him for wanting to protect his daughter, even though his methods were a bit extreme." He patted his injured shoulder to make his point. Ah, now Bosco knew who had been holding the gun. He didn't know if he was to feel relieved or sorry the man hadn't gotten further injury. "Anyway, I wanted to inform you of my transfer."

The agent had a hard time holding back a victorious smirk. But the feeling suddenly faded when the young man went on.

"Minelli knows a guy willing to hire me as a consultant in Sacramento. I will also continue as a part-time card-dealer in a casino there. With my references and a letter of recommendation from my boss, it won't be hard to find something." Jane took a few steps closer. "I will keep things quiet about your involvement in Peter Lisbon's actions, because you have a very lovely family and the team respects you. But try to break us up again, try and mess with her head, with her family, and I swear" he rested his uninjured hand over the desk and leaned closer to the older man's face. "I will not hold back. You worked with me long enough to know how _good_ I am when it comes to destroy reputations."

During his career, Bosco had met a lot of strong heads and criminals with smart mouths. And right now, Jane sounded exactly like them.

"Is this a threat?" the agent growled, not submitting to the heavy glare. Jane smirked and pulled out a chain from his shirt. A silver ring was hanging as a pendant there.

"I will make Teresa happy. No matter how hard you try, I will, and I'll keep her happy. She's the most incredible woman I've ever met and I'm not letting her go."

Bosco's face hardened at the sight of the jewel.

"You are just a little prick!" he hissed. "She doesn't deserves better thanyou."

"Hell I know" the blond replied sarcastically, putting back the ring under his shirt. "But for some reason, she decided to give me a chance and I won't take it for granted. Now you should take care of more important matters. Return to your family. Forget about Teresa. You were a good guy before you became obsessed with her."

And before he could find a proper reply, the younger man ended the exchange with a nod and walked out the door. Once he had closed Bosco's office, he stopped there and took a deep breath to calm his rising anger.

"Is that how it ends?"

The young man jumped in surprise at the familiar voice. Out of all people, he did not expect his girlfriend to stand nearby the door, arms crossed and looking slightly annoyed.

"What..." he started uneasily. "I… I thought your shift ended at 10?"

"It does. But a maniac put the building on fire, so I figured I'd stop by to see if you were done with your good-byes." Jane's face turned white at the mention of a fire, but she went on before he could express his worry: "Did he object to whatever you told him?"

Knowing she didn't want to talk about the incident until later, Jane forced himself to shrug and reached for her hand. Although he had not mentioned Bosco's potential participation to her father's short relapse, he knew she suspected him of being involved somehow.

"I told him you were mine and I was not giving you to anyone. Especially not to him."

Lisbon took his hand and squeezed his. A small smile grew over her face.

"You should have told him I was pregnant" she joked. Jane made a face and whined:

"He would have denounced me to your _brothers_ this time; and I still value my life, dear." He leaned closer and added in a teasing whisper: "Although once in Sacramento, I wouldn't mind..."

"Patrick Alexander Jane, you don't want to finish that sentence" she warned, her cheeks turning red. The blond merely grinned in reply. After a short staring contest, Lisbon shook her head and pulled his hand as she walked away.

They still had their issues, but none of them doubted that they would be fine, even if they might trip on their journey. If the matching silver ring pending on the chain of _her_ necklace was any indication, they would definitely be okay.

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><p><strong>Hope you liked the ending (let me know?) and I'll see you in another fic :D<strong>

**Thank you for reading so far!**


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